John McGinn scored the only goal as Scotland marked their long-awaited return to World Cup action with a nervy 1-0 win over Haiti at Boston Stadium.

Having gone 13 games without scoring for his country since November 2024, McGinn fired home via a couple of deflections just before the half-hour mark, becoming Scotland's first World Cup goalscorer since Craig Burley in a group-stage draw with Norway in 1998.

Steve Clarke's team did not have things all their own way as Haiti – the second-lowest ranked team at the tournament – exerted plenty of pressure, particularly in the final 20 minutes.

But Frantzdy Pierrot missed their best chance to snatch a point as Scotland moved top of Group C, following Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco earlier on Saturday.

With Scotland being roared on by a strong travelling contingent, Scott McTominay had a couple of early sights of goal, heading Andy Robertson's cross over before rattling the right-hand post from Ben Gannon-Doak's cutback in the 17th minute.

And the breakthrough arrived via McGinn 11 minutes later. More good work from Gannon-Doak resulted in Johny Placide blocking Che Adams' effort at the near post, but McGinn's follow-up strike found the net via touches off Hannes Delcroix and Danley Jean Jacques.

Haiti carried a threat throughout the first half, though, and they almost equalised when Angus Gunn spilled Ruben Providence's shot, with the Scotland goalkeeper then getting up to thwart Pierrot, with the help of Grant Hanley.

Gannon-Doak saw a back-post effort blocked by Martin Experience early in the second half, before McGinn dragged wide with the opportunity to put the game beyond Haiti.

Sunderland's Wilson Isidor was agonisingly close to meeting Providence's cross-shot on the slide, then Haiti's clearest opening saw Pierrot meet Carlens Arcus' cross with a bullet header in the 85th minute, only to send it wide of the left post.

Scotland held firm throughout eight tense minutes of stoppage time, and they now know avoiding defeat against Morocco on Friday would give them a huge chance of advancing past the first stage of a World Cup for the first time ever.

McGinn kickstarts Tartan Army celebrations

Both sets of supporters had waited a long time for Saturday's game. While Scotland were making their first World Cup appearance in 28 years, Haiti's only previous trip to the finals came in 1974, when they lost all three of their group games and conceded 14 goals.

It was a close-run affair, with Haiti giving a good account of themselves as they racked up 15 shots to Scotland's nine and won the expected goals (xG) battle by 1.21 to 1.05.

But McGinn's slightly fortuitous effort proved the difference, also making him the oldest Scotland player to score at a World Cup, at the age of 31 years and 238 days. He surpassed Kenny Dalglish, who netted against New Zealand in 1982 at 31 years and 103 days old.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Gannon-Doak produced an excellent display as he briefly became the youngest player to represent Scotland at a World Cup, with 19-year-old Findlay Curtis usurping the 20-year-old when he was substituted on.

Gannon-Doak was one of three Scotland starters (alongside Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson) who were not born when the Tartan Army were last represented at FIFA's flagship tournament. 

And he played a key part in their fifth World Cup win overall, and their first since a 2-1 triumph over Sweden in Italy in 1990.