Haiti vs Scotland

Scotland claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over Haiti in their 2026 World Cup opener at Gillette Stadium in Boston, ending a 36-year wait for a World Cup victory. The defining moment came in the 28th minute, when John McGinn pounced on a rebound to break the deadlock. After Che Adams' initial shot was blocked, McGinn reacted quickest to slot home and hand Scotland the lead. It nearly came sooner — Scott McTominay rattled the right-hand post in the 17th minute. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde earned a yellow card in the 39th for a reckless sliding challenge on Lawrence Shankland, and Lenny Joseph went close for Haiti in the 81st minute before Scotland held firm. The result lifts Scotland to the top of Group C, helped by Brazil and Morocco cancelling each other out with a 1-1 draw. Haiti are still searching for their first point but made Scotland work for every minute of this narrow win.