Steve Clarke has suggested the weight of expectation on Scotland has lifted after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Haiti in their opening World Cup match. The win, Scotland's first at a World Cup since 1998, puts them top of Group C following Brazil's draw with Morocco.
“I am absolutely delighted with my players,” said Clarke. “Resilience and character had to be on the pitch tonight. 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.”
With Morocco and Brazil still to come, Clarke stressed the need for a different approach. “We go into them with less pressure. If we defend as well as we did here, hopefully play a bit better with the ball and create more, we will be OK. It’s about a different approach against a different opponent.”
Clarke, who singled out Lewis Ferguson for praise, acknowledged the difficulty Haiti posed. “I thought Haiti were terrific at denying us time and space. Towards the end, you know you are 1-0 up and have something to hold on to. The players deserve a lot of credit.”
The head coach, determined to enjoy the tournament after past disappointments, said: “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. They have never let me down. This for me is everything.”
Haiti coach Sébastien Migné was proud of his side’s performance but frustrated by the result. “We are growing, we are learning. On one hand I am very proud; we rose to the challenge but that makes it more frustrating. We know with Haiti nothing is ever easy.” He noted players were discussing a penalty appeal after the ball struck Grant Hanley’s arm.
