McGinn Fires Scotland to Narrow Victory Over Haiti
Scotland began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Haiti in their Group C opener, securing a crucial three points thanks to a first-half strike from John McGinn.
The decisive moment came in the 28th minute when McGinn reacted quickest inside the penalty area to score after Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide had initially denied Che Adams. The goal proved enough to separate the two sides in a tightly contested encounter.
Haiti battled bravely and looked for an equaliser throughout the second half. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Aaron Hickey were both shown yellow cards before a series of substitutions changed the rhythm of the match.
The Caribbean side pushed forward in the closing stages, introducing Josué Casimir and Yassin Fortune in search of a breakthrough, but Scotland’s defence remained resilient. Substitute Findlay Curtis received a yellow card in stoppage time as the Scots held firm under late pressure.
Despite Haiti’s determined performance, Scotland successfully protected their slender advantage to claim their first World Cup victory in 36 years and move to the top of Group C after the opening round of matches.
