Scotland Ends 28-Year Wait With 1-0 Win Over Haiti as Brazil Is Held by Morocco

Scotland marked its return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Haiti on Saturday, climbing to the top of Group C on a day when tournament favorite Brazil could only manage a draw with Morocco.

John McGinn settled a tense match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in the 28th minute, his effort deflecting off a Haitian defender and beating goalkeeper Johny Placide. It was Scotland's first appearance at the World Cup since 1998 and its first victory at the tournament since 1990, when the Scots beat Sweden 2-1. An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Scotland supporters had descended on the Boston area for the occasion, turning the New England venue into a sea of tartan.

The win was nervy rather than emphatic. Che Adams was denied after a long ball from captain Grant Hanley, and young winger Ben Gannon Doak threatened on the break, but Scotland spent long stretches defending a one-goal lead against a spirited Haitian side. The three points, however, were enough to lift Steve Clarke's team above the group's heavyweights heading into the second round of fixtures.

Earlier in the day at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Brazil and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw that left the Selecao with work to do. Ismael Saibari gave Morocco a shock lead on a clinical counterattack before Vinícius Júnior answered with a brilliant individual equalizer. Neither side could find a winner despite several promising chances, a result that blew Group C wide open and handed Scotland the early advantage. Morocco, semifinalists four years ago in Qatar, again showed they can trouble the game's giants, while Brazil's five-time champions left the field knowing they cannot afford another slip.

The Group C action was part of a packed schedule across the three host nations. In Santa Clara, California, Switzerland and Qatar drew 1-1, while Australia faced Türkiye in another group-stage clash. The expanded 48-team tournament, jointly staged by the United States, Canada and Mexico, has drawn enormous crowds in its opening days, with marquee venues from coast to coast hosting matches.

For Scotland, the result carried emotional weight far beyond the standings. A nation long defined by near-misses and heartbreak on the international stage finally had a World Cup win to celebrate, and a path — however narrow — toward the knockout rounds. The traveling support sang long into the New England night, and with Brazil stumbling and the group still tightly bunched, the Tartan Army had reason to believe this World Cup could be different.