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Scotland fans are no strangers to pondering permutations. But the stakes are much, much higher at a World Cup finals.What would a point here mean? What if we lose that one? Might our rivals drop points elsewhere?The conversations will already have started, in that most Scottish of ways. Win your first World Cup game in 36 years, immediately think you'll probably lose the next two, and wonder if you're out or not already.After the opening round of matches, Scotland sit top of Group C, Brazil and Morocco trailing in their wake. But what chance of a first ever progression out of a major tournament group stage?Everyone had this down as a must-win. Purely based on the belief Scotland were likely aiming to be one of the best eight third-placed teams from the 12 groups.Sitting top of the section was not something many would have imagined, though.But first let's start of with the doomsday scenario. Scotland lose to both Morocco and Brazil and manage to finish third. Then it comes down to goal difference.With the win in Boston by just a single goal, Steve Clarke's side now arithmetically can't finish on three points with anything other than a negative goal difference.According to Football Meets Data, external, a goal difference of -1 offers an 87.5% chance of progression, which would be a reality if the Scots lost by a single goal in their final two games.That drops to 69.4% with a -2 difference, and 47.3% at -3. You get the picture.Scotland earn nervy win over Haiti for first World Cup victory in 36 yearsWhy Haiti v Scotland was antidote to the ills of world footballOften the set-piece deliveries were poor - which results in a set play xG of 0 - with the saving grace being Scotland's defence stood up well to some fraught pressure to keep a clean sheet.Another goal against Haiti could have meant finishing on a goal difference of zero was possible, which would have brought a 96% of progression."Winning games at major tournaments isn't something Scotland do regularly," said former Scotland talisman James McFadden on BBC Scotland."The resilience shown - that's what has been forged in this group. It wasn't enjoyable but I would have taken an ugly 1-0 win beforehand."The next two games are going to be tough, but they have dealt with the pressure of this game."Earn another point and Scotland would almost certainly make it out of the groups for the first time, with Morocco back here on Friday offering a chance of just that.Putting it simply, Clarke's team are a clean sheet away from the last 32.The thing on the minds of many Scotland fans filling beer gardens across Boston over the next week will be which is the harder game: Morocco or Brazil?Carlo Ancelotti's team turned in an underwhelming showing in New Jersey, after all, and had to come from behind to snatch a draw.There will be no fear from Scotland going to face either of these teams. However, they will need to be a lot better in possession if they are to avoid defeat.The Scots' pass completion rate against the 83rd best team in the world was only 82%, with more backward passes and fewer going forward.However, this team has shown their ability to rouse themselves, and ultimately they got the job done here."I don't think anybody is going to be quaking in their boots to play Scotland," said former Scotland winger Pat Nevin. "But what they don't know is we can do a lot better than that, and that's maybe our secret weapon."This section was compiled by our Ask Me Anything teamIn the seven previous tournaments, going back to 1998, each time the fifth-best third-placed team finished with at least three points: Colombia (1998), Portugal (2002), Poland (2006), Ivory Coast (2010 and 2014), Nigeria (2018), Tunisia (2022).So goal difference could play a major factor in determining matters this year.In 1998, three points and a -2 goal difference was enough for Colombia to be one of the five best third-placed teams. In 2006, Poland finished the tournament as the fifth-best third-place side with three points and a -2 goal difference.Ivory Coast finished as the fifth-best third-place finishers in 2010 with three points and a +1 goal difference. Whereas in 2002, Portugal finished with a +2 goal difference on three points as the fifth-best third-placed team.In 2022, there was a three-way tie for the fifth-best third-placed team: Tunisia, Cameroon and Uruguay all finished on four points and a level goal difference, with one win, one draw and one defeat each from their three group stage matches.With 12 groups instead of eight at this tournament, there is room for a broader range of results but if recent history suggests anything, it is that teams should not rely on three points being enough to progress - and that goal difference will be key.In 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022, there were 13 third-placed teams who finished on three points but were not among the top five third-place finishers.Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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Head coach ‘absolutely delighted’ with World Cup triumph over Haiti‘Different approach’ needed in games against Morocco and BrazilSteve Clarke suggested expectation weighed heavily on the shoulders of Scotland’s players after they laboured at times during the 1-0 win over Haiti. The game marked Scotland’s first at a World Cup since 1998 and delivered a first win since eight years earlier. The Scots top Group C after Brazil drew with Morocco. Yet with those teams, both ranked in the top 10 in the world, still to come there is an understanding Scotland will have to improve to realise their ambition of becoming the first team from the nation to reach the knockout phase of a major tournament.“I am absolutely delighted with my players,” said Clarke. “Resilience, character had to be on the pitch tonight. There is no relief. Everyone told us it was a must-win game and we won. When you win a must-win game, you have to be happy with yourselves.”On the challenges ahead, Clarke added: “We go into them with less pressure than everybody put on to us going into this game. If we defend as well as we did here, hopefully play a little bit better with the ball and create more, we will be OK. It’s not about raising the performance, it is about a different approach against a different opponent.“Towards the end, you know you are 1-0 up and have something to hang on to so that is what you do. The players deserve a lot of credit. I thought Haiti were terrific at denying us time and space, which made it difficult. So the other characteristics that get you three points come out. That is why we are sitting here with three points and Haiti are empty handed.”Clarke, who hailed the “exceptional” Lewis Ferguson in midfield, had spoken before the game about his determination to enjoy this World Cup. Scotland, also under Clarke, have toiled at the last two European Championships.“Sometimes I put myself under too much pressure but when you are in charge of a group like this, you have to appreciate what you have got,” said the 62-year-old. “They have never let me down. This for me is everything, I have always wanted to go to a World Cup with my country.”Haiti’s head coach, Sebastien Migne, was as effusive as Clarke about his own team’s performance. “We are growing, we are learning,” he said. “On one hand I am very proud of what the boys showed. We rose to the challenge but that makes it all the more frustrating that we came up short. We know that with Haiti nothing is ever easy, we have to be resilient. If we had won, we wouldn’t have succumbed to euphoria so I am not going to call this a catastrophe either.“From the beginning, we knew it was not going to be easy. Eight best third teams qualifying could have us through even with a win in the third game. Our opponents have a lot more to lose than we do.”Migne said a number of his players were discussing their claim for a second-half penalty in the Haiti dressing room. The Haitians appealed in vain for a spot kick after the ball struck the arm of the Scotland centre-back Grant Hanley.

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Senior football correspondent, AtKansas CityPublished57 minutes ago16 CommentsEngland arrived at their permanent World Cup base in Kansas City on Saturday and immediately got down to business.Shortly after dropping their bags off at the Inn at Meadowbrook Hotel in Prairie Village, where the team will stay for the duration of their stay in the United States, they made the 20-minute trip to their training centre at Swope Soccer Village for their first session since arriving in Missouri.The locals welcomed Thomas Tuchel's men into their community with open arms but also with a high security, the team escorted by a motorcade of protection.There was nothingm however, to protect the players from the searing sun, with temperatures reaching around 31C, as the team were put through their paces.And this is what BBC Sport noticed from England's opening training session in Kansas City.BBC Sport reported on Friday that there was an emerging sense that the team that started against Costa Rica on Wednesday will be the side that Tuchel selects in the team's first game against Croatia on Tuesday - and there were further reasons to believe that may be the case on Saturday.For part of the session the 10 outfield players that started versus Costa Rica: Jude Bellingham, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Reece James trained away from the rest of the squad.Of course, it may simply have been a coincidence that the 10 were grouped together - but if you were looking for clues into how Tuchel's team may look in Dallas on Tuesday then reading something into that would be understandable.One obvious potential alteration to the team that beat Costa Rica would be Bukayo Saka for Madueke, but Tuchel's confirmation that the former requires managing through the tournament due to fitness concerns has raised questions over the Arsenal attacker's involvement.Saka trained away from what appeared to be the starting group and still did not look like he was moving freely.Speaking after the training session, players appeared to be conscious of trying to play down the impact of the theft that saw equipment stolen on Friday.It emerged on Friday night that items had been stolen from a vehicle that was carrying equipment from England's pre-tournament camp in Florida to Kansas City.On Saturday night, Kansas City police confirmed that two men, Mustafa Salik and Erfan Kamal, had been charged in connection with the incident that saw $18,000 worth of property sold.The Football Association, however, has been clear that no elite performance equipment had gone missing and that the majority of what was stolen has now been recovered.It was claimed that the property taken was four pairs of football boots, one ball, a pair of goalkeeper gloves and training kit.And speaking about the theft, Dan Burn said: "I've not lost anything personally, we found out from you guys (the media)."It's with the police now so not sure how much I can comment. It's not really been spoken about so that just shows for us that they aren't too worried about it - it's not really disrupted our preparations."With England's World Cup preparations now in full swing, the focus on the group matches will shift up a level.If the Florida camp was about acclimatisation to the hot and humid conditions, training in Kansas City will narrow in on preparation for their group games versus Croatia, Ghana and Panama.Head coach Tuchel said: "We have acclimatised, they have worked hard enough and been exposed to enough heat - we are in a good place."The focus is on Croatia, today is about settling in and from tomorrow it's about three days preparation for Croatia."Captain Harry Kane provided similar sentiments, saying: "This is where the business starts, this is going to be our home for the next six weeks hopefully - we look forward to getting started."I thought it was a high level performance against Costa Rica – and now we prepare for a tough first game. Croatia are a difficult team, they have proved in the last two World Cups that they can be one of the best teams in the tournament and we have to be ready for that."Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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BBC Scotland's chief sports writer at Boston StadiumPublished1 hour agoAfter 28 years of watching World Cups from football's wilderness, there was never much danger of the Tartan Army getting antsy about the gridlock on the road to Foxborough.On the contrary, in the hours leading up to what turned into a surreally stressful evening as Scotland ground their way to a 1-0 win over Haiti, fans revelled in the traffic delays, inch by inch, yard by yard.Oblivious to the anxiety they were going to experience later on, a convoy of yellow school buses stuttered their way down the I-95 four hours before kick-off and Scots hung out the windows of every one of them, singing their songs, waving their flags, partying at a pace of a mile an hour.The sense of anticipation and joy was so palpable you could have reached out and touched it. These Scotland supporters are remarkable. Vast waves of them. Clusters on every street corner in Boston. An occupying army.Seven minutes before 9pm local time, Scotland entered the most extraordinary arena, the Boston Stadium. A riot of colour and noise, a football stadium, yes, but a theatre, too. A place for gladiators.If you have to miss out on World Cups for nearly 30 years then this was the way to mark your return.Giant screens behind both goals picking out every human emotion among the fans. Shivers up the spine, heart beating out the chest, Flower of Scotland belted out with gusto, its power almost greater on a foreign field than it is at home.The scene was an antidote to all that is wrong in world football; the rampant greed, the unrelenting bombast. This was raw, powerful and emotional.Scotland beat Haiti for first World Cup victory in 36 yearsMcGinn 'beaming with pride' - and hopes kids around Scotland are tooApproaching the half-hour, a familiar cry went up in a small corner of the stadium, a song to stir their favourite son. The Tartan Army started calling on John McGinn to do something. Beseeching him, almost.Two minutes later, the Aston Villa man delivered. It was hardly the sweetest strike, but nobody cared. It wasn't particularly pretty, not that it mattered. It only found its way into the Haiti net by way of a double deflection but that was completely irrelevant.It was a Scottish goal in their first World Cup in a generation. By definition, it was a thing of absolute beauty. The winner. Scotland's total of victories at the finals rises from four to five. These things are rare.Everybody in the Scotland ranks would have imagined that they'd kick on after that, but they didn't.None of their totems turned up in the way we know they can. None had control of the game. None lorded it over an opponent that, in truth, looked a whole lot better than Scotland for large periods. Haiti didn't deserve to lose.A dozen minutes from the end, there was more singing from the Scottish crowd that we can only describe as gallows humour.Scotland were leading 1-0 but they were under the cosh against the 83rd best team in the world. They were hanging on; vulnerable, error-ridden.From that pocket of the Tartan Army came the 'No Scotland, No Party' tune, a piece of irony, surely, that made you smile. This was no party for them until the last whistle sound, this was a torture session.The minutes ticked by - nine, eight, seven. The screens behind both goals flashed up images of Scotland fans and their 1000-yard stares. Six minutes to play and Frantzdy Pierrot rises above Grant Hanley and nuts one just wide.Cue palpitations. Cue the appalling thought of a Haiti equaliser that would dynamite Scotland's hopes of doing what they came here to do - making history by making it out of a group in a World Cup.If you can't beat Haiti, you're not beating Morocco or Brazil in games two and three.Every Scotland fan would have hoped for - but would not have expected - a relatively stress-free return to the biggest stage, a handy 2-0 or 3-0 that wasn't an assault on the senses.What they got was a nerve-shredding night, a 90-minute rollercoaster ride, an evening to bring on a migraine.They survived. That's the bottom line. Three points are on the board. A nightmare was averted. They can be, and have to be, better.McGinn said that they have more gears to go up and he's right.Goalkeeper Angus Gunn spoke later and sounded glum. He tried to accentuate the positive but it was a battle. "When we look back, we won't be happy, but we've just won a game at the World Cup, so…"Those contrasting feelings summed it up. Three points, but… A first win at a World Cup in close to three decades, but…Billy Gilmour's composure was missed. So, too, the brilliance of McTominay and the authority of McGinn. Neither was a major presence, McTominay's shot off a post and McGinn's goal aside. Scotland's best player was Ben Gannon-Doak, who was a double handful.Later on Sunday, these players will return to base camp in Charlotte as tired men. But as winners, too. So much has to improve before they face Morocco back in Boston in a week's time.This was a win that sparked huge celebrations among the fans but those celebrations were as much about relief than joy. "Everybody told us that it was a must-win game and we've won it," said Clarke. That cut to the heart of it.Exhausting, laborious, oppressive, but three points and hope. The best of it was those lads hanging out the windows of the school bus, the sheer excitement, the undiluted happiness, the mighty buzz of just being here.Many of them will be back again for more against Morocco. Another night of pressure and angst is guaranteed, but there's nowhere else on earth these people would rather be.Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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There was nothing too complicated about the Bournemouth man’s performance but he took the fight to Haiti in a historic World Cup winThe game was about 15 minutes in and a familiar script appeared to be taking shape. After an initial flurry, Scotland were under the pump, struggling to deal with the intensity and physicality of a determined Haiti team. Passes were going astray and tackles were being missed. It seemed only a matter of time before calamity became manifest, but there was one route of escape, summarised eloquently by a cry from the crowd: “Hit it long for the wee man!”Ben Gannon-Doak, the wee man in question, did what was required of him. The balls did indeed start going long to the Bournemouth winger, and, when they did, he took the fight to the opponent. In the 17th minute he hit the byline to square the ball for a Scott McTominay effort that came back off the post. Twelve minutes later, after great hold up play from Che Adams, he again went deep, then nipped past the full-back Martin Expérience to tee up Adams for a shot that was parried away from close range. That loose ball came to John McGinn, and a deflected effort from Scotland’s No 7 eventually found the back of the net to decide the outcome of the match.Despite all the Tartan Army battalions that have flooded into Massachusetts over the past few days, despite the sea of salmon pink that filled out the Boston Stadium, giving the impression of a Scotland home game, this match was always going to be a tighter, tenser affair than anyone would have wished for. Had one of a number of Haitian half-chances gone another way it could have been a disaster to rival Peru, Costa Rica, Iran or Zaire. Not scoring any more than a solitary goal, meanwhile, could yet deny Scotland the chance to escape Group C. But they got their first World Cup goal since Craig Burley in 1998 and their first victory since Mo Johnston scored against Sweden in 1990. And in Gannon-Doak’s performance, they also had something to cling onto.Jimmy Johnstone, John Robertson, Archie Gemmill, Pat Nevin: Scotland have a tradition of tricky wingers which petered out at roughly the same time as their hopes of reaching major championships. At their last World Cup in 1998 there were no wingers, just wingbacks: Christian Dailly and Darren Jackson. The only Gemmill in the team was Scot. It might be simplifying things to suggest that Scotland need someone getting chalk on their boots for the whole thing to click, but sometimes simplicity does work.Gannon-Doak’s efforts were not complicated, particularly in the first half. When he got possession he looked to attack. When the team were hemmed in, he gave them an out ball. This is not an option Steve Clarke has had at his disposal at his past two tournaments. Perhaps it shouldn’t have proven as important as it did against Haiti, but Gannon-Doak’s pace on the counter will surely be needed in the remaining group games against Morocco and Brazil. The 20-year-old is playing with the confidence of youth, and not cowed by the fear of repeating previous failure, another plus. He wants to take a man on and has the ability to back up his ambitions. He is also a relative unknown and someone opposition coaches will not have much research material to lean on. If you’re Scotland, these are all good things.The reason for the relative enigma is that Gannon-Doak has cumulatively missed over a year of football through injury since making his debut for Liverpool in the 2022-23 season. He has had surgery on his lateral meniscus and twice on his hamstrings, one of which he described as “hanging on by a thread” after he was withdrawn on a stretcher during the ultimately jubilant qualifying victory over Denmark last November. Gannon-Doak has said he found strength through this adversity, thanks in part through a return to the Catholicism of his youth. A bit of mental steel is not a bad attribute to have in a World Cup either.What the boy from North Ayrshire can offer off the ball is something we will likely learn more about over the next two weeks as Scotland come up against far tougher challenges than the one presented by Haiti. But one final simple quality that perhaps should not be underestimated is that of the excitement Gannon-Doak, or really any winger with the wind beneath their heels, can bring to a team and their supporters. Scotland’s recent failures have been characterised not only by apparent timidity, but also prevalent dullness: safety-first football that never proved to be enough. Scotland degenerated into such play once again in the final, scratchy minutes of this match. But when Gannon-Doak, substituted with 20 minutes to go, was on the pitch there was always a flickering sense that things could change in a moment. It may well be true that it’s the hope that kills you, but surely better to die in hope than fear.

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England’s squad arrived at Swope Soccer Village, their World Cup base, to find locals (and the local police) out in forceBefore Thomas Tuchel and his England players departed for the United States, there was talk about their World Cup training ground in Kansas City being too open. It was motivated, in part, by the Southampton Spygate scandal. Would England’s rivals be able to steal a glance at them? Tuchel even said that the Football Association would look to erect protective fences.The nine-pitch facility at Swope Soccer Village is certainly sprawling but here’s the thing. Nobody is getting on site without going past the armed police officers at the entrance. There was a throwaway line from a steward on Saturday as England trained on the complex’s showpiece pitch after flying in from Florida after their pre-tournament camp. “You guys see spying,” he said. “We see personal security.” The latter rather overrides the former. It was safe to say that they have it covered.The buildup to England’s arrival was further coloured by the theft of some of their kit in transit from Florida, including boots and footballs. Again, it did not feel like much of issue. Everything was recovered; two arrests have been made. “My boots?” said the goalkeeper, Dean Henderson. “I’ve got them on my feet so it’s all good. We got them all back so it’s nice.”There did not seem to be much to fret about as the players went through a light session that lasted about an hour – if training under blue skies and a blazing sun that pushed the mercury to 29C can be described as light. The second chapter of England’s summer adventure has started and if the focus is about to narrow and the intensity pick up, then the excitement has gone up a few notches, too.The opening tie against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday is edging closer and the good news is that England look to have what they need at Swope and, indeed, their hotel – the four-star, 54-room Inn at Meadowbrook, which is a 20-minute drive away.England always wanted to stay in Kansas City because of its location in the centre of the US and how it would mitigate their travel distances to matches; the plan is to fly in and out for each assignment, the FA having been clear about the benefits of a fixed base, a home.England were denied the first pick of Kansas City’s training bases and even the second one because they were not drawn to play any of their group phase games here. Argentina and the Netherlands were and the former bagged the best facility – Sporting Kansas City’s performance centre. The latter went for the training ground of the women’s team, the KC Current, which is newer than Swope, perhaps a little slicker-looking. As an aside, a fourth nation – Algeria, who have matches in Kansas City – have ended up at the University of Kansas facility.But Swope, which is home to Sporting KC’s second team and their academy sides, ticked the boxes for Tuchel and the FA. It was particularly reassuring to see the quality of the pitch they used on Saturday – in light of scare stories about that aspect of things. England will rely on a different grass surface which is around the back of the main building but the reality is that it is of the same standard. And the standard is high. Local media described all three grass pitches at Swope – the other six are astroturf – as among the best in the state. They are absolutely comparable to those that Argentina and the Netherlands will use.The FA has put a new gym in at Swope and created a lounge for the players and they are happy, too, with the intimate Inn at Meadowbrook, which they have taken over exclusively. There are a number of permanent residents that live on condos close to the site and their access to areas like the principal restaurant will be restricted while England stay there. To say thank you, Tuchel’s players will have a meet and greet with them.The training session at Swope was open to a number of local children, who were specially invited and thrilled to be there. Harry Kane felt a lot of love. “Harry, you’re better than Bellingham,” screamed one over-excited youngster. There were banks of media at one end of the pitch.What stood out for England was the warmth of the welcome. The locals were out in force with flags and signs as they drove up to the hotel – a massive police escort having helped them there from the airport. As the players walked in, they heard music from the Kansas City Chief’s band and saw the NFL team’s cheerleaders. Even the mascot, KC Wolf, was there.Kansas City was not supposed to be a host venue for matches but they got the invitation from Fifa after Chicago said no. They are overwhelmingly delighted to have been asked. It is a city of jazz music heritage, the birthplace of Charlie Parker. It is a city of fountains, with over 200 of them, some spectacular. There are 220 parks and 29 lakes. It is a city of barbecued meats, smoked ribs and burnt ends among the specialities. It is a city of charm and friendliness, which has a love affair with the heart symbol, partly because it is in the heart of the US. “We like to say that we greet people with a smile and a wink,” said one local.Most urgently, perhaps, it is a city of sporting passion, headlined by the Chiefs, who have won three of the last seven Super Bowls. Also their baseball team, the Kansas City Royals. Football is big, too, thanks to Sporting KC and the Current, whose CPKC Stadium was the first in the world to be purpose-built exclusively for a professional women’s sports team.The World Cup Fan Fest, which has been designed by the global architects’ firm Populous and holds 25,000, was rocking on Friday night as the US thrashed Paraguay in their opening World Cup tie. Fans enter it through a 65ft high heart. England intend to thrive off the positive vibes.

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Brutally tough return to tournament awaits, but the stature of opposition feels less important than the fact of being here at allIt was an arrival worth more than half a century of waiting. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) players strolled into the arrivals hall of George Bush airport on Thursday kitted out in tuxedo suits and leopard-print sashes, channelling La Sape vogue for snappy dress that swept Kinshasa in the 1970s. A throng of local volunteers cheered them through and, in a climate where little can be taken for granted, their welcome to Houston was a genuinely wholesome moment.The DRC’s squad looked appreciative although perhaps they were simply relieved to see new faces. The joy of a first World Cup since 1974, when they competed as Zaire, has been complicated by the Ebola outbreak in their homeland and a 21-day isolation period imposed by the US authorities. The players and staff formed a bubble in Belgium, playing one friendly against Denmark and being forced to cancel a scheduled meeting with Chile in Cádiz.For all the precautions there were at least few of the difficulties apparently encountered by Senegal and Uzbekistan upon entering. The DRC are understood to have had temperatures screened before disembarking their flight, but made it in with no alarms and found a host venue keen to roll out the red carpet. They will be based in Houston for as long as their tournament continues, training at the compact SaberCats Stadium in the city’s south. Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo await on Wednesday; it is a brutally tough return to the top, but the stature of their opposition feels less important than the fact of being here at all.“We always dreamed of this,” said Jonathan, sitting in the stadium’s main stand on Friday afternoon. “A lot of people have been waiting a long time, but we never gave up. I believe this is our time.”He was among about 70 members of the local Congolese expat community invited to watch the team’s training session on Friday, along with a large group of local children who joined the players for photographs. Kapinga Yvette Ngandu, DRC’s ambassador to the United States, took part in a semi-formal welcome ceremony. Houston appears eager to pull out the stops and Sébastien Desabre’s side hope to ensure their hospitality extends into July.“We need to adapt,” said Desabre when asked about any ill consequences of their disrupted preparation. “We’re focused on our work, we’re professionals and sometimes the way is not easy. It’s not a problem for us.”The Real Betis forward Cédric Bakambu, a 35-year-old veteran of several qualifying near-misses, drew the most adulation from those looking on. The Congolese diaspora in Houston is thought to number about 10,000, if US-born children are counted; it remains to be seen how many have navigated the tournament’s prohibitive prices to watch the troubled country’s date with history.Jonathan, who left the DRC 17 years ago at the age of 21 and lives five minutes’ drive from SaberCats Stadium, was not giving up on witnessing it at first-hand . “I’m trying to be there, I’ve got to be there,” he said. “The tickets are crazy expensive, but we’re going to have to try and do what we can for the team.”Desabre, a Frenchman who did the rounds of 11 managerial roles in Africa before striking gold with the DRC, hopes they can do plenty for Jonathan and his local peers, as well as the millions watching back home who cannot spend the time or money on quarantining. “We are very affected [by the situation],” he said. “It’s an additional source of motivation for us to fight on the field.”A win against Colombia or Uzbekistan would give the DRC a strong shout of progressing through Group K and potentially a last-32 meeting with England, even if Portugal prove too strong. Desabre said an African World Cup winner was “just a question of time”; it would probably be the biggest shock in football history if his players achieved it, but an experienced core, including Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Chancel Mbemba, will not be easily rolled over.There will be no repeat of 1974, when Zaire tumbled out with a goal difference of -14 and were mocked when Mwepu Ilunga’s decision to burst from the defensive wall against Brazil, smashing the ball upfield before a free-kick could be taken, was widely misinterpreted. “We prepared well and now we want to be well represented in this group,” Desabre said. “After 52 years, it’s really a pride, a pleasure.”Joining the chants of “Mbote”, which means “welcome” in Lingala, Jonathan was a picture of both. “We have resilience and we really have faith,” he said.If their early moments in Houston are anything to go by, the DRC can also boast bucket-loads of style.

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John McGinn scored Scotland's first World Cup goal for 28 years to ensure a winning start against Haiti in Group C.Brazil's earlier draw with Morocco meant victory Steve Clarke's side could move top of the four-team standings - and they held off a spirited Haiti to do just that.Scott McTominay hit the post, before McGinn sparked wild celebrations as his deflected shot hit the back of the net on the rebound after Che Adams had been denied.Haiti - back at the World Cup for the first time since 1974 - showed their threat with glimpses in attack and with the Tartan Army still celebrating an historic goal, 'keeper Angus Gunn spilled a shot from Carlens Arcus.Ben Gannon-Doak's angled-drive shot from a Robertson cross was blocked by Martin Experience for a corner, which ultimately came to nothing.McGinn missed a brilliant chance to put the game out of reach, dragging his effort wide of the post as the nerves kicked in.Haiti kept pressing for the leveller and with five minutes remaining Frantzdy Pierrot headed wide from 10 yards, spurning a great chance.It was a crucial victory for the Scots, but they will need to produce better if they are to get out of the group for the first time ever in their history.17: McTominay agonisingly close to the opener as his effort rattles the post.28: GOAL! McGinn's deflected shot gives Scotland the lead.30: Gunn spills a shot from Arcus but it is cleared73: McGinn misses the chance to make it 2-0Steve Clarke's pre-match advice to his players was simple - "don't get humped."They did as they were told, but it was a nervy night for those in the stadium and back at home.Scotland lacked any proper control and know that will need to improve if they are to get out of the group as better sides than Haiti await.John McGinn scored the only goal, but Ben Gannon-Doak showed again what he can do in a Scotland jersey, although he was not used enough to really make his mark.The start they wanted, but still much work to do before they take on Morocco next.Scotland head coach Steve Clarke speaking to BBC Sport:"I just said to Andy Robertson - it's about time we won a game in the group stage."We put the supporters through it a little bit. Everyone said it was a must-win game - we won the game."This is what this team is all about. If they want to play, they can play, but if they have to dig in and show that character and resilience, that's what they do as well."Defensively, outstanding. We could have been a little bit better on the ball, but who cares - we won."Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson to BBC Sport:"Amazing, the scenes at the end. These fans have waited so long for that, so that was special and it was nice to take it all in."For me, it's a relief to get over the line because we were under a bit of pressure at the end."They're a good side, but we came here to win the game. We've done that so we'll move on to the next."There was a lot of pressure on us and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as well to go and win the game."There was a lot of people expecting us to win and we expect to win as well - we back and believe in ourselves."I think we can play better. We can create more chances and score more goals, but we came here to do a job and we've done that."

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Scotland's John McGinn says his "scuffed" goal which downed Haiti in their World Cup opener left him "beaming with pride" - and he hopes kids around the country wake up feeling exactly the same way.The Aston Villa midfielder's deflected effort in the first half gave Scotland their first World Cup win since 1990 at their first finals since 1998.They sit top of Group C as they aim to reach the knockout stages for the first time ever, despite a nervy second half during which Haiti threatened to equalise."It wasn't my best of goals but who cares? It's been a long time coming," McGinn told BBC Sport. "I scuffed it a wee bit."Haiti are a decent team by the way. We had to work hard for it. Could we play a bit better? Aye. But it was a must-win game and we won. I'm absolutely over the moon."Scotland still have to face Morocco and Brazil - two sides with the potential to go far at the World Cup - on Friday 19 June and Wednesday 24 June respectively.Steve Clarke and his side know they will need to improve, but McGinn says they will relish this victory on their return to football's biggest stage."We've been through a lot of hurt as a country," he said."A generation of supporters haven't seen this. But the pride on my face this morning seeing all the kids going to the parks in a Scotland kit and painting their faces."Hopefully when kids get up tomorrow they'll be beaming with pride because I am. It sets things up for Friday [against Morocco]."Scotland beat Haiti for first World Cup victory in 36 years'He's become Scots' chief creative force' - how the players ratedEverything you need to know about the World Cup