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Scotland fans in the Massachusetts city awaiting their game against Morocco have continued to make an impression on the localsOn Thursday afternoon, local broadcasters in Boston went live to an event hosted by the city’s mayor, Michelle Wu. It was a significant moment, with Wu confirming a deal that would commemorate a new chapter for the city. Representatives of the other party were also present, and they were easy to spot. Particularly the one guy in a kilt and a T-shirt reading: “I’m not perfect, but I am Scottish, and that’s kind of the same thing.”The agreement signed will see Boston and Glasgow become twin cites. Officially, according to Wu, the arrangement will “create new opportunities for meaningful cooperation and mutual growth”. But who was she kidding. A more telling line was the one that reflected “longstanding ties between Scotland and the United States” and, of course, “the goodwill generated during the Fifa World Cup 2026”. In other words, Boston’s love affair with the Tartan Army is now official.Just 10 days since they first began arriving in New England, Scotland fans have managed to bring yet another nation under their thrall. Carrying a letter of support from FC Cologne, the last place to fall for the Scots two years ago, they have charmed, amused and fascinated the locals in Boston and beyond. Following the antics of the Scottish fans, their discovery of tailgating or their dancing at the baseball, appears to have become an American pastime, with clips ubiquitous on everyone’s social media feeds.In the week since their nervous and necessary victory over Haiti at Boston Stadium, some fans have returned home from New England. Many more have arrived to replace them, however, and most of them have been met at the Logan airport arrivals hall by TV cameras. A topic of particular fascination for the media has been the Tartan Army’s ability to drink, especially after slightly breathless reports of the Sam Adams taproom at the heart of downtown being “drunk dry” by fans. It turned out supplies never ran out, but extra did have to be ordered after the bar sold 3,000 pints of its Boston lager over the course of 48 hours.Other bars were equally shocked or delighted. The Irish hostelry Hennessey’s proclaimed sales that were three times those of St Patrick’s Day. The Dubliner, next door to the Fifa fanfest in the city and a key Tartan Army destination, said it had had the busiest week in its history and while it hadn’t run out of beer, their distributor had. So concerning was the situation to so many that Tennent’s felt the need to put out a statement reassuring their clientele. “We’ve been planning for this since December and made sure we had plenty of Tennent’s in the US,” said Hazel Alexander, a senior brand manager, from the UK. “So we’re confident that supplies will continue to meet the demand.”The welcome extended to Scottish fans has been warm across the board, according to Adam Robb from Aberdeenshire. “The locals are just incredible, they’re so happy to see us,” he said. “Surprised to see us, I think, in these kind of numbers, but the reception has been unbelievable.”By way of evidence, Robb cites the fact he had been bought breakfast by Boston police that morning after he lost his passport on a hiking jaunt between matches. “I reported it as missing and I was at the police station,” he said. “The cops bought me an egg and cheese muffin while I was waiting, which was amazing.” With no ticket for Friday night’s match against Morocco, Robb is keeping a keen eye on resale sites, but prices are rising. “I think we’re up to about £700,” he said. “It was down to £350 before the Haiti game, but I think all these videos are going about and people getting the FOMO. They’re like: ‘Oh, we’re going to have to get part of that.’ I think a lot of them will be Americans.”Robb intended to count down the time to the game by checking out some of Boston’s culture and staying off the booze “for a few hours”. Others will be doing similar. Or perhaps they will continue the new tradition of sticking traffic cones on Boston statuary (apparently tribute to a longstanding practice on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street). Or maybe they’ll visit the off-licence which has become a must-see destination for Scottish tourists, not for its contents, but its name. Thousands have already made a pilgrimage to Jobi Liquors, which means a very different thing in Scotland to the US. “They’re all coming in and saying ‘shit’,” Jobi’s owner, Jim, told the Daily Record in another viral video. “Boston is loving all the Scottish people. Screw the British, the Scottish are coming!”

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Head coach says 2022 semi-finalists are now even betterScotland could deploy back three against Group C rivalsSteve Clarke has warned Scotland the Morocco team they will face on Friday are superior to the one who reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2022.Scotland kicked off their tournament with a 1-0 win over Haiti, which came hours after Morocco impressed during a 1-1 draw with Brazil. Clarke answered with a firm “absolutely” when asked whether Morocco will pose as stern a threat as Brazil to his side in Group C.“We are under no illusion about the size of the task,” said Clarke. “I feel Morocco are a really, really good side. They reached the last four of the last World Cup and I have a feeling this Morocco team is slightly better than that, so that gives you an idea of the task ahead. They have power, they have pace, they have little bits of skill that can open up a game. For me they are the real deal, a top side. We will have to be at our very best to compete.“It is a big challenge for us. We give them a lot of respect. We expect they will probably have more of the ball, more possession. We have to make sure that when we have the ball we can be a threat to Morocco.”Clarke deployed a back three for the friendly against Côte d’Ivoire in March, which may serve as a clue to his plan or Morocco. It is a near certainty that Scotland will not lineup in the 4-4-2 formation used against Haiti. “Every system that we have ever played, we have put a lot of work into,” Clarke said. “I have shown over my time as head coach that we can play different systems. It is something that we have always wanted to expand on, more systems, different personnel for different games.“Sometimes the Scottish psyche and mentality is that we are a little more comfortable when we are the underdog. We were the favourites against Haiti and found the game a struggle, but we managed to win. This time we are the underdogs and sometimes Scotland prefer it that way.”Barring an utterly bizarre series of results, a point should be enough to earn Scotland a tournament knockout berth for the first time ever. They could progress on three points, which brings protection of goal difference into the conversation. It is one, however, Clarke is happy to ignore. “You just have to play the game,” said the 62-year-old. “The first thing is to try and win, if you can’t win then don’t lose. Permutations and whatever else is for you guys [the media] and all the punters to think about, not for us.“The players feel good about themselves. They wanted to win a game at a major tournament and have done that. Now they want the next step, which is to get what we need out of the next two games to make a little bit of history for Scotland. The training was electric today. We feel good.”Clarke made time during pre-match media duties to offer words of support to the family of Donnie Strathie. The 76-year-old had travelled to Boston as a Scotland fan but died in the aftermath of the Haiti game. “In among all the good news that has come out the World Cup for Scotland, that is obviously very sad for his family; his daughters, his grandchildren,” said Clarke. “My thoughts and condolences are with his family.”

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Steve Clarke highlights squad mentality before Morocco game but Napoli midfielder stands out with his goalsIt is a conversation in Milan that should resonate in Massachusetts. Italy’s failure to qualify for another World Cup has triggered harsh assessment of Serie A, including why there is a shortage of home players making sufficient impact there. The success of imports, whose talent level is marginally above average, supposedly says much about decline within the Italian game.It would be harsh to place Scott McTominay in that category. The sharpness of the 29-year-old’s career trajectory since leaving Manchester United for Napoli depicts a player who was underappreciated at the club of his youth and early professional years. McTominay left Manchester with a point to prove and did so with bells on, courtesy of a title win and the label of Serie A’s most valuable player in 2025. Should McTominay choose to leave Naples, where he is adored, he will not be short of Premier League options.You need only walk in the vicinity of Hampden Park to learn of McTominay’s standing as a Scotland player. Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law have never been depicted on portraits on the gable end of terraced flats close to the national stadium. McTominay, a player born in England, produced such an iconic moment against Denmark last November that it will sit as an artistic reference point for ever more.That game pretty much summed up Scotland’s path to this World Cup. It was a fixture in which Denmark were undeniably the stronger team for long spells. Greece were superior in Glasgow yet lost 3-1. Scotland lost in Athens and stumbled past Belarus. There were high points, of course, in a campaign that ended Scotland’s 28-year World Cup wait, but also elements of oddity. McTominay’s overhead kick was one of three extraordinary goals as the 10-man Danes were beaten 4-2. Searching for clusters of excellent Scotland displays in recent competitive matches is not particularly easy. Whisper it, but the same applies directly to McTominay.History and the lack of emerging talent in Scotland suggests this could be McTominay’s World Cup chance. If not, it is surely his best. Likewise the 31-year-old John McGinn, 32-year-old Andy Robertson and Ché Adams, who is 29. The motivation for this experienced group to make an impact on football’s biggest stage must be huge. It should work in Scotland’s favour.Perhaps McTominay feels he has no more questions to answer. Watching him toil as Scotland squeezed past Haiti actually raised plenty of them. For Scots it brought back ominous memories of 2024 and a European Championship where team failure owed plenty to the underperformance of star turns. When Scotland face Morocco in the Boston Stadium on Friday, hope rests heavily on McTominay’s shoulders.Steve Clarke understandably bristles at the notion of McTominay as different from any other player. The 62-year-old has taken Scotland to three tournaments while building a club ethos. Players look along to teammates in the dressing room rather than up or down. It is, though, impossible to ignore McTominay’s status among a squad which has plenty of decent members and precious few of elite level.“Scott is one of our key players,” said Clarke. “I am lucky, I have got a lot of key players. Andy Robertson, John McGinn. For me Grant Hanley, Kenny McLean, people like that. We have built a really good squad over the years.“Scott gets a lot of headlines but he is also the first to understand that without the help of his teammates it is more difficult for him to be that talisman. If he can be a talisman against Morocco, then that would be great. As a coach I am very reluctant to go on about individuals. Everything we have built has been our squad.”Hope springs from the likelihood that McTominay will be afforded more time and space against Morocco than he did against Haiti, who swarmed around him. In fairness to McTominay, his quiet game did include the striking of a post. His lead-up had also been disrupted by an upset stomach.“I think the Haiti game was a struggle for a lot of the players, not just Scott,” said Clarke. “I thought Haiti controlled our midfield very well so you have to give credit to them. Sometimes you don’t get the chance to bring your attributes to the game because of what the opposition do. I think that might have been the case the other night. Scott is in a good place and ready to go again.”If Clarke, as is expected, reverts to a lone striker there will be heavy reliance on midfielders to provide goal threat. Scottish chances will come at a premium against a side ranked sixth in the world. McTominay, who has found the net a credible 15 times in 71 Scotland appearances, will need to be at his ruthless best.Clarke used pre-match media duties on Thursday to rave about Morocco’s individual and collective abilities. Scotland’s hopes of causing the latest upset in this riveting tournament rely heavily on their difference maker. Now has to be McTominay’s time.

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Precious win gives Steve Clarke’s team a platform but nervy display against Haiti could prove a missed opportunityIt felt so typically Scottish that even rare success on the World Cup stage delivered such paradoxes of emotion and analysis. In Ireland, sporting glory is routinely cherished without contradiction. Scots have far more of a tendency to apply “ah, but” as an addendum. So it proved from Boston to Brora, where dissection of the 1-0 win over Haiti was far from straightforward. Rightly so.Record books will show John McGinn’s scruffy goal earned the Scots just a fifth win at a World Cup finals. The claiming of a point against Morocco on Friday will, barring an extraordinary set of results elsewhere, seal Scotland a knockout berth for the first time. They haven’t even featured at this level since 1998. Any team within touching distance of heady times, rewarding a fantastic supporter base in the process, can hardly be castigated.“It felt like a home game,” said the midfielder Lewis Ferguson of the scene in Boston. “I didn’t realise until we stepped on to the pitch how many Scottish people were there. The away kit was everywhere. Our support is amazing and never in doubt. They travel everywhere. They always have, always will, that’s a given. We went on a walk within the city on Saturday and it was full of Scotland fans. That gave us that little buzz going into the game.“I wasn’t born for the 1998 World Cup so I’ve never witnessed Scotland playing at this level. So to be part of the team that’s won a game is really special.”Attention towards Ferguson is apposite. He was excellent in midfield against Haiti, justifying faith from Steve Clarke. Scotland’s central defensive pairing of Grant Hanley and Jack Hendry were strong. Ben Gannon-Doak displayed directness and decision making that bodes well. Elsewhere, though, questions were raised that mean those keen to present the game as an ideal World Cup start are being over optimistic.After Morocco, Brazil lie in wait. If Scotland remain on three points, they are already in the territory where relying on goal difference to secure qualification as a third-placed team looks borderline. Haiti offered opportunity which Scotland did not properly grasp, for no other reason than they returned an indifferent performance. Beyond celebration in Massachusetts and plenty of it in the middle of the night back home in Scotland, that will be quietly recognised.“We could have been better on the ball and we will be,” said Ferguson. “It was difficult and we were under pressure towards the end. But we dealt with it, got a clean sheet and three points.” Again, all correct. Scotland were, however, jittery.Ferguson, like Clarke, referenced a level of pressure encountered by Scotland’s players due to widespread expectation they would swat Haiti aside. Scotland teams of the past have blundered against inferior opposition at World Cups. A reality is that 1978, 1982 and 1990 are not relevant in the context of Clarke and this squad. More pertinent are the European Championships of 2021 and 2024, from which it should be safe to believe Scotland have evolved.Haiti are comfortably the worst team Scotland have faced in a finals under Clarke. Yet they still laboured for long spells, the anxiety touched upon by players and staff readily apparent. It is legitimate to ask what was learned from 2021 – when the Scots slumped to an opening defeat against the Czech Republic – or three years later, when Germany thumped them in Munich. Haiti are an enthusiastic but patently limited team. Scottish nervousness due to the simple fact they were of higher quality is not entirely rational.“It’s going to be really difficult against two top sides,” said Ferguson. “Both of them are ranked in the top eight in the world. So they’ll be tough games but I feel we can come alive in those sort of games when we’re the underdog. We’re looking forward to it, the next one will be a completely different game. But we’ll back ourselves.”Ferguson has touched upon a Scottish cliche, that when hopes are low the team can prevail. That has not forcibly been borne out under Clarke, especially against sides of the stature of Morocco and Brazil. In practical, tactical terms Scotland will need much more composure – and probably greater numbers – in midfield. Scott McTominay’s stomach bug in the lead-up to Haiti provides a decently extenuating circumstance for a poor showing but there were ominous parallels there, too, with the summer of 2024. Scotland need McTominay’s star quality to shine through.Another danger emanated from Morocco’s draw against Brazil, which was confirmed before Scotland kicked off. Morocco will now carry real belief they can top Group C, which will focus their minds for Scotland. Brazil will not have sauntered towards first place in the section by the time they face the Scots in Miami. Elite teams who are hugely incentivised are clearly a more substantial problem for Scotland than if going through tournament motions.“I want more,” said McGinn. “I wanted a second and third [goal] and to kick on in the group. That wasn’t stress free but it was never going to be. They are a tricky team.”The Scotland camp is well within its rights to accentuate pluses. It is similarly fair to ponder shortcomings. This Scottish team is within days of marching to where Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish could not. To do so, they must prove psychological shackles against Haiti were indeed the real problem.

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Anxious dead-of-night watch parties ended in celebration after 1-0 victory over Haiti in first finals match since 1998It was around 2.28am in the UK that John McGinn ended 28, arguably 36, years of hurt – and anyone daft enough to be asleep will surely have stirred as chants of “no Scotland, no party” echoed from Boston to Glasgow.The scenes after McGinn’s deflected goal and Scotland’s 1-0 defeat of Haiti were joyous. Sheer unbridled happiness. And relief.Dead-of-night watch parties were held across Scotland, the biggest at the Ovo Hydro arena in Glasgow, where more than 5,000 fans celebrated Scotland’s first World Cup match since 1998.When the final whistle blew, drinks went flying in the air and the noise raised the roof.For neutrals, the match between the 42nd Fifa-ranked team (Scotland) and the 83rd (Haiti) was not a great footballing spectacle. It was a laboured, anxiety-inducing victory, but nobody cared. For Scotland, a win is a win.“It was really good, but I think we could have done better,” said 12-year-old Darcy Morrison, who was watching in Glasgow with her mother and brother. “I thought we were going to beat them 4-0 but we didn’t.”Denise Rae, 52, from Aberdeen, was dressed in a Scotland bucket hat and sunglasses. “It was amazing,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming. Come on, Scotland, we can do it. Let’s get to the next round.”Fiona Barrie, 24, said the game had been a “big deal” for her sister, Dee. “She was born the last time Scotland were in the World Cup, she was 74 minutes old at the final whistle. So it’s a big deal for her,” she said.William MacGregor, 41, from Dumbarton, described the post-goal atmosphere as “bouncing … Drinks were flying everywhere when the goal went in. Not mine, I kept mine.”Scotland’s last World Cup appearance was 28 years ago, but the last victory was even further back – a 2-1 win against Sweden in 1990, which included Mo Johnston hammering home a late penalty.Among the famous names in the stadium for Sunday’s match was Rod Stewart, who cancelled a gig in San Diego on Friday because of illness. Hours later, he posted a clip of himself and two of his sons on a private jet to Boston singing: “no Scotland, no party”.Stewart, 81, said he had been to six World Cups and that if Scotland could get through to the next round, “I’ll die a happy man”.Also in the 64,000-plus crowd were the actors Gerard Butler and Martin Compston, the singer Clare Grogan and the chef Gordon Ramsay, who visited the players before the match, reportedly telling them: “Let’s fucking go!”There were reports at the weekend that the thousands of Scotland fans who had converged on Boston before the match had gone some way to drinking the city dry.One fan spoken to by WBZ News at Logan airport said his only complaint about the flight to Boston had been that “we ran out of beer”. Another said he was about to drink his duty-free whisky before hitting the town. “I want to find Cheers,” he said.The Boston Globe described thousands of “kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing” Scottish fans as taking over parts of the city. After the final whistle it was “time for even more beers”, the newspaper’s reporter at City Hall Plaza wrote. Callum Liddle, 29, who had travelled from Scotland to Boston, said: “It’s the best day of my life.”The Scottish first minister, John Swinney, was also at the match. After the final whistle he described the team as outstanding and said the Tartan Army had been “great ambassadors for Scotland”.“I can tell you, there’s not as lovely a feeling as being the first first minister in Scotland to see Scotland win a game in a World Cup,” he said.In Boston the morning after, the kilts had largely been put away and people were nursing sore heads with big smiles as they gathered around the Common.“The game was a typical Scotland game but we sneaked it so that’s fine”, said Jordan Davidson, in town from Aberdeen on a joint trip with his daughter, Molly. “The whole week we’ve been here has been great. The bars have been brilliant, people have been wonderful and the atmosphere at the game was fantastic. Haitian people were lovely, they were singing, they were dancing and the Tartan Army were just on first-class form. As you can probably hear from my throat.”Molly wasn’t born the last time Scotland got a win at the World Cup and didn’t want to tempt fate by predicting another, with Scotland still to face Morocco and Brazil in Group C. “I’m scared to predict anything at this stage. I think that’s exactly what a Scotland fan would say, right? But I’m really happy to just be here now and have these memories, especially with my dad. Yesterday with the Haitian fans, seeing everybody dancing together, coming together, even though you’re technically opponents – I think that’s what sums up the World Cup and to experience that firsthand has been incredible.”The victory means Scotland are top of their group, after Brazil drew with Morocco. Although not mathematically certain, things will really have to turn for them not to qualify.For Haiti the result is clearly disappointing, but to even qualify for tournament was a massive achievement. There were no home fixtures because of the humanitarian crisis and gang violence in the country.For Sunday’s match, most councils in Scotland extended the licensing hours of bars and clubs. The hospitality trade expects to see a sales boost of about 40%.There will be headaches, but the king has approved Swinney’s proposal of a Scotland bank holiday on Monday 15 June. So who cares?

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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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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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This all proved rather difficult to evaluate as the dust settled. Scotland’s fifth win at a World Cup finals should have been a cause for epic celebration. Victory over Haiti meant this is a team not guaranteed to receive a bloody nose against lesser nations after all. More than 10,000 days after limping out of the World Cup in France, Scotland returned to the biggest stage in football and claimed three points. They top Group C.Yet in the Boston Stadium, the counter narrative was more than a feeling. With Morocco and Brazil to come, this single goal success may prove insufficient as Scotland look to emerge from the group phase for the first time. This regressed into an unconvincing display from Steve Clarke’s team. Haiti lacked the composure to punish that. Still, those who would blindly celebrate Scotland’s win are probably ignoring a bigger picture that should matter. John McGinn’s goal, a sclaff in Scottish terminology, summed up much that was to come thereafter. Scotland must now cling on in their next two outings.The opening half was as curious as it was entertaining. Scotland looked impressive in moments moving forward but left gaps for Haiti to attack, which they did. Haiti carried menace without seriously looking like scoring. Yet it felt unwise for Scotland to offer their opponents such hope. Clarke had branded Haiti “dynamic” on Friday. Erratic looked a more appropriate description.A pre-match prediction had been that Haitians would outnumber Scots in the crowd. Boston and surrounding areas have a large population from Haiti. Perhaps a number of them sold tickets to Scottish fans. So visible in their pink away shirts – which must be a record seller – Scotland supporters were comfortably in the majority, just as they had been while swarming streets in central Boston. Unsurprisingly, the Tartan Army provided a wonderfully vibrant atmosphere. “Loch Lomond” had already been belted out in emphatic style by the time Scotland won the anthem game. This was, however, all fluff; Scotland came to the United States to make tournament impact rather than receive platitudes for providing colour and noise.Scott McTominay came within the width of a post of sending Scotland ahead after 16 minutes. The Napoli man collected a pass from Ben Gannon-Doak, whose attacking influence was crucial to Scotland. Wilson Isidor’s subsequent claim for a penalty was rightly waved away after Grant Hanley did little more than ruffle the Sunderland man’s hair.Archie Gemmill’s iconic goal for Scotland against the Netherlands has featured a lot in pre-tournament coverage. It was even shown on the screen here before the teams were read out. McGinn’s opener could barely have been more contrasting in style. Did the Scottish contingent care? Don’t be ridiculous.Hanley launched a fine long ball to Che Adams. The Torino striker played wide to Gannon-Doak. Adams thought he had scored from Gannon-Doak’s low cross but Johny Placide produced a fine save. On hand to connect with the rebound was McGinn, whose scuffed shot had already taken one deflection by the time it flicked off the outstretched foot of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Perhaps there was something in the water; this goal arrived in the spell immediately after the first hydration break of the game, during which the Scots were noticeably sharp. Haiti jabbed back. Angus Gunn saved low from Ruben Providence before the same player was halted by a superb Aaron Hickey tackle.Harum-scarum football continued in the early stages of the second half. Gunn was not troubled in that window. Neither was Placide, albeit Lawrence Shankland came within inches of connecting with a terrific Andy Robertson cross from the left.By the start of the fourth quarter (the extent to which the flow of matches would be altered seemed to be ignored before this World Cup) the scoreline did not particularly suit either team. Haiti would have targeted this fixture for some form of points reward. Scotland’s hopes of reaching the last 32 on three points – a perfectly sensible ambition – surely needed better by way of a goal difference position.McGinn almost improved it, instead screwing wide after latching onto a Hickey header. Haiti’s finest opening of the second half belonged to the lively Providence – Scotland should not have been tempting it – as he curled wide. Frantzdy Pierrot headed just beyond Gunn’s right-hand post. As the clock ticked down, Scotland were scatty. Haiti huffed and puffed, without really looking like capitalising on that.One oddity of the Scotland performance was the ineffectual nature of McTominay’s involvement. Clarke can rightly take solace from the fact his talisman can and should be better against Morocco and Brazil. He will need to be. Scotland will need to be.

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⚽️ World Cup kick-off 9pm EST/2am BST/11am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | ">Email TomPre-match postbag. “I confess I was a wee bit worried after the first 10 minutes of the Brazil v Morocco game, because they were running about jolly quickly and firing balls into the net with great panache. The longer it’s gone on though the more confident I feel. I suspect we’ll confuse them by playing what they might think is a different sport” – Scott Blair“I’m English and living down under in Melbourne. We are actually getting a whole bunch of games at reasonable times as we normally have to watch intentional games at 2am. I’m enjoying tea and toast over breakfast games and looking forward to hearing the Scots belt out Flower of Scotland, always a spine tingling experience, even for and Englishman.” – Simon Dobson Continue reading...