Steve Clarke admits Scotland took pressure off themselves with rare opening win

[p]Clarke's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a] failed to win a single ‌game at the last two Euros, and with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a] ‌still to come at the World Cup, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/haiti-nk4v10Z1/scotland-fZRU25WH/?mid=QBBoaW63"]beating[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/haiti/nk4v10Z1/"]Haiti[/a] was seen as ‌essential to have any chance of making it past the group ‌stage for the first time.[/p][p][b]"The next two games against teams inside the World top 10 will be tough games, but obviously we're going into them with a ‌little bit less pressure than everybody put on ⁠us going into this game,"[/b] ‌Clarke told reporters.[/p][p]"As well as everyone else, we put a lot of pressure ​on ourselves going into the first game.[/p][p][b]"If we defend as well as we did there and show the same resilience ​and hopefully play a little bit better with the ball and create a little bit more, we'll be okay."[/b][/p][p]Opening games have not been ⁠Scotland's only problem at ​previous tournaments, and Saturday's hard-fought victory was just their fifth win in 24 World Cup matches.[/p][p][b]"Just tells you how difficult it is for a country like Scotland to go to a World Cup and win games,"[/b] ‌Clarke said.[/p][p]"It doesn't happen very often. When you're told it's a must-win game and you win it, then the players deserve a lot of credit for that. They deserve to be the team that's finally got another win on the board in the World Cup."[/p][embed guid="06edb7cd-7da9-4086-ab63-c407ba720e46" url="https://x.com/ScotlandNT/status/2065993284225274084" social-type="twitter" /][p]Scotland find themselves top of the group after Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1 earlier on Saturday, and Clarke is determined to enjoy this World Cup, whatever happens next.[/p][p][b]"Sometimes I put myself under too much pressure," [/b]he said.[/p][p]"But ‌when you're in charge of a group of players like this, ​I think you have to appreciate what you've got, and I ‌really appreciate what I've got in that squad.[/p][p][b]"I've never been to a World Cup. I've waited 62 years to be at a World Cup, I've been in football 44 years. This for me is everything, it's what I wanted to do, I wanted ⁠to go to a World ⁠Cup with my country."[/b][/p][p]Scotland will ‌play Morocco on Friday, with Haiti taking on Brazil.[/p]