Scotland‘s John McGinn expressed immense pride after scoring a “scuffed” goal that secured a win against Haiti during their World Cup opener. He hopes that kids across the nation share that same joy.
The midfielder from Aston Villa saw his deflected shot in the first half lead Scotland to their first World Cup win since 1990, marking their first finals appearance since 1998.
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Currently, Scotland leads Group C, aiming for a chance to advance to the knockout stages for the first time ever, despite experiencing a tense second half where Haiti posed a threat of equalizing.
“It wasn’t my best goal, but who cares? It’s been a long time coming,” McGinn told BBC Sport. “I did scuff it a bit,” he added.
“By the way, Haiti is a strong team. We had to put in a lot of effort. Could we have played better? Sure. But it was a must-win situation, and we did just that. I’m beyond thrilled.”
Scotland’s next challenge will be against Morocco on Friday, June 19, followed by a match against Brazil on Wednesday, June 24 – both formidable opponents likely to progress deep into the tournament.
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Steve Clarke and his team recognize the need for improvement, yet McGinn insists they will cherish this victory as they make their return to football’s grandest stage.
“Our country has endured a lot of pain,” he reflected. “Many supporters from the current generation have never witnessed this moment. Seeing kids go to parks in Scotland kits, their faces painted, brought a smile to my face.
“I hope when kids wake up tomorrow, they’ll feel as proud as I do. It sets the tone for our match on Friday against Morocco.”
‘My boys are alright’
Entering their World Cup opener after consecutive Euro appearances without a victory, Scotland was expected to perform well.
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With impressive warm-up wins against Curacao and Bolivia, where they scored eight goals, there were high expectations for the Scots’ return to the global arena.
Though they didn’t showcase their best attacking form, head coach Clarke commended his team’s determination as they weathered Haiti’s advances in Foxborough.
“I told [captain] Andy Robertson that it’s time we won a game in the group stage,” Clarke stated. “Everyone indicated it was a must-win, and we succeeded.
“That’s what this team embodies. They can play well, but they also know how to grit it out. Defensively, they were outstanding.”
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Following a tension-filled match, the large Scotland fanbase in Boston Stadium celebrated passionately at the full-time whistle, witnessing their nation’s fifth victory in World Cup finals and only their fourth clean sheet.
“The support from the fans was incredible at the end,” Clarke concluded. “It was a great evening for both the fans and my boys are alright.”