Scotland hasn’t played a World Cup match since 1998. That’s 28 years of watching from the couch.
Now, as Steve Clarke’s side prepares for their long-awaited return to the biggest stage in international football, their opening opponents are doing everything possible to make sure the homecoming party gets crashed. Haiti thumped New Zealand 4-0 in a recent friendly, and if Scotland weren’t already taking their Group C rivals seriously, that scoreline should have recalibrated things quickly.
The match that matters most
Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti is set for June 13 at Gillette Stadium in the Boston area, with kickoff at 21:00 local time.
Haiti, ranked approximately 82nd in the FIFA world rankings, are not a side most casual fans would circle as a danger. A four-goal dismantling of New Zealand suggests Haiti have found a gear that their ranking doesn’t reflect.
