Scotland secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Haiti at Gillette Stadium in their opening Group D match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
McGinn Secures the Three Points
The solitary goal of the match came in the 28th minute of the first half. John McGinn capitalized on a rebound from Haiti’s goalkeeper Johnny Placide, firing the ball into the back of the net from inside the penalty area.
Refereeing Controversy Sparks Debate
Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal stole the headlines following a series of controversial decisions that ultimately favored the Scottish side:
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Penalty Denied (79th Minute): Haiti’s Jean-Ricner Bellegarde unleashed a powerful shot that appeared to strike the hands of Scottish defender Grant Hanley inside the box, but Ghorbal waved play on.
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Missed Red Card: In the dying minutes of the match, the referee and VAR overlooked a harsh tackle by Scotland’s Anthony Ralston (or McKenna) on Casimir. Despite a reckless challenge directly to the knee that left a superficial wound, no disciplinary action was taken.
Group D Standings
With this narrow win, Scotland climbs to the top of Group D with 3 points, taking full advantage of the 1-1 draw between Brazil and Morocco.
ملخص مباراة هايتي واسكتلندا | دور المجموعات – كأس العالم FIFA 2026™#كأس_العالم2026 | #مونديال2026 | #كأس_العالم#FIFAWorldCup2026 | #FIFAWorldCup | #beINWC26 pic.twitter.com/eI7dgTmlEL
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 14, 2026
