Gordon Ramsay will be well chuffed. After all, a guy nicknamed Meatball scored the winner for Scotland at the World Cup. Never mind Hell's Kitchen. Here in Foxborough, Steve Clarke's boys and the Tartan Army were in heaven after seeing off Haiti in their Group C opener. Scotland presented celebrity chef Ramsay with a new home shirt at their training on Friday. And as much as their performance here wasn't as palatable as the manager would have liked, it was still a sweet victory for fans after being starved of a World Cup appearance for 28 years.
The Scots' 1-0 win took them to the top of their section after Brazil's draw with Morocco in New York. It's their first victory in this tournament since 1990 and Clarke's first at a major finals. McGinn grabbed the decisive goal in the first half against the Caribbean minnows. After Scott McTominay hit the post early on, the Aston Villa captain latched onto a loose ball after 28 minutes, and his strike nestled in the Haiti net via a deflection. It sent the Tartan Army wild inside the Boston Stadium.
It was here that Diego Maradona played his last ever World Cup game in 1994 before a drugs ban. But it was Scotland and their supporters who buzzed off a massive high this time around. Clarke will know his side must play better in their next two games to cement a knock-out place, as the Scots were hanging on towards the end with Haiti pushing for a leveller. But after almost three decades in the World Cup wilderness, three points were all that really mattered. Here are Record Sport's five talking points...
Points over performance
Watching Scotland at a World Cup shouldn't be this tortuous. But boy did Clarke's side put their fans in the stadium - and back home - through the wringer here? Before the game, the gaffer would have taken any victory to secure a hugely important three points. But it really shouldn't be this difficult against a side of Haiti's quality. In the cold light of day, Clarke will know his team's performance level HAS to be better in the next two games against Morocco and Brazil. Scotland lacked any real intensity on and off the ball in the first half despite going a goal up through McGinn's deflected opener. They failed to build on it after the break, and at the end of a traumatic 90 minutes for supporters, Clarke's boys were hanging on for the win. Hearts were in the mouths during the final stages of the game as valiant Haiti tried in vain for an equaliser. Scotland lacked any proper control, which must improve against better sides in the group. The expected win gives them a chance of qualifying but with a lack of goals here, they might need another point elsewhere which will require a far better showing.
Magic McGinn
It wasn't pretty but what a moment for Super John McGinn to score Scotland's first goal at the World Cup for 28 years. And it was a vital strike at a point in the game where Haiti was threatening to grab the opener. No-one deserved it more than McGinn after what he's given to the national side over the years. And that's why he savoured it with his trademark celebration. He's been a talisman for us throughout his Scotland career and on the biggest stage of all, he delivered again - albeit via a big deflection. Ben Gannon-Doak fizzed a cross into the box for Che Adams who forced a save from the Haiti keeper at close range. The ball broke for McGinn just inside the box and he managed to get a shot on target. It might have taken a wicked deflection on its way in but the Tartan Army - and the Aston Villa captain - weren't caring. It was a special moment for McGinn, ending nearly three decades in the World Cup doldrums for Scotland without a goal. And no matter what happens at this tournament or in the future with the national side, no-one will be able to take it away from him.
Gannon-Doak delay
Going into the game, you always felt Scotland's best attacking outlet would be Bournemouth live wire Gannon-Doak on the right-flank. In the final World Cup warm-up game against Bolivia, the winger was outstanding, terrorising the South Americans in a 4-0 victory. Right from the off here, he looked a threat, willing to take on his marker, Nancy full-back Martin Experience, at every opportunity. The problem for Scotland was, they just didn't use him enough. In the early part of the game, they were constantly looking to go down the left, even when Gannon-Doak was in acres of space. Sure enough, when they eventually worked the ball out to him, he got at his man again and teed up McTominay for his effort off the post. With their passing, too often Scotland were content to play it to the guy next to them. Players weren't willing to take more of a risk, bypass pink shirts and hit a longer ball over the top to Gannon-Doak. When they did, Scotland reaped the rewards - which was evident at the opening goal.
Full-throttle Fergie
Some people felt before the game that Ryan Christie should start in place of Lewis Ferguson in Scotland's midfield. That might have meant McGinn playing centrally with Christie on the flank, after his excellent displays in the friendly games before the World Cup. But the truth is, Clarke was never going to leave the Bologna skipper out of this vital Group C opener. He was one of the stand-out performers for Scotland in the qualifying campaign, for a start, which skipper Andy Robertson has testified to. Ferguson had to wait a long time for his Scotland chance but he's now a key part of Clarke's side. In a new-look four-man midfield, he's absolutely vital as he showed last night. With McTominay's ability to get forward, Clarke needs someone to sense danger, sit in when necessary, and break up opposition play. Against the physical Haitians, Ferguson was Scotland's best player along with Gannon-Doak. He put in an incredible shift full of graft, energy and desire, which was crucial to the win.
New stage for Scotland
Of course, it was absolutely vital that Clarke's side got off to a winning start in this tournament against one of the minnows. With any victory, you want to do it with a bit of style. But if you strip all of that back for a moment, wasn't it just incredible to see Scotland back on the World Cup stage again? Under the lights in the hugely impressive Boston Stadium - home of the New England Patriots - at the greatest show on earth in front of 65,000 people. It doesn't get much better than that. Make no mistake, this was a special occasion for every Scotland supporter. There was a spectacular light-show before kick-off and at half-time with the usual American razzmatazz. As usual, the rendition of Flower of Scotland at the start of the game was spine-tingling. The size and scale of the event itself was mind-blowing, especially for Scottish fans who haven't sampled anything like this in almost 30 years. The Tartan Army turned up in huge numbers to support Clarke and his players - but also to take in the magnitude of what they were part of.
