Scotland flirted with World Cup disaster and key man laboured - what happens next will define tournament

John McGinn’s slightly scruffy goal after 28 minutes against Haiti signalled joy unconfined among the Scotland fans in a ground where they made up the majority of the 65,000 crowd. There was plenty of time left to add to this strike and although there were occasions where they came close, Haiti came closer to equalising. Frantzky Pierrot saw a header flash narrowly past Angus Gunn’s far post with five minutes left.

Scotland flirted with disaster, which a draw would have represented. But they dug out the win that Steve Clarke later described as “special”. It is just Scotland's fifth-ever in the World Cup, and their first in a major finals under Clarke at the seventh attempt. Whether it proves a golden ticket to the next stage depends on how Scotland fare against Morocco and Brazil, and what happens in other groups. Avoiding heavy defeats in their next two fixtures seems paramount. Goal difference could be key.

Scotland failed to build on a start where Ben Gannon-Doak lit up the park. The 20-year-old was unplayable at times and set up Scott McTominay for a shot that bashed back off the up right before having a huge hand in what proved the match winner. His cross was met near the front post by Che Adams and when ‘keeper Johny Placide saved, McGinn pounced on the rebound to hit a left-foot shot that found the net via two deflections.

If anyone thought this was Scotland up and running, think again. They proved laboured and McTominay was clearly showing the debilitating effects of the stomach bug that meant he was a pre-match doubt. Although dark by the time the game kicked off, the muggy heat was still intense – more so down on ground level.

Lawrence Shankland endured a difficult night. Adams, his strike partner, was taken off before the new Rangers signing. Not, one suspects, because he was playing more poorly than his strike partner but because he will be needed against Morocco, when Clarke will likely revert to one striker. Adams' immaculate touch when bringing down a long pass forward from Grant Hanley was perhaps the game's only moment of true quality, which is not what you expect at a World Cup.

Lyndon Dykes came on for Adams, while Shankland later made way for Findlay Curtis. While the feeling is Scotland can only improve on a stodgy, understandably nervy performance, they are playing a side next who will be disappointed to have only drawn with Brazil in their own opening match.

A point for Scotland will almost certainly secure qualification for the knockout stage for the first-ever time. There is everything to play for. But Clarke will need to decide how to approach a game against a team who don’t tend to concede many goals.

He will need to weigh up whether he plays Gannon-Doak or not. One suspects not. Clarke seemed cool on the 20-year-old’s performance afterwards despite the fact he was central to so many of Scotland’s good moments, including McGinn’s match winner. He also set up McTominay for a shot that bashed off the post. These were isolated moments of attacking verve.

Scotland’s limitations were evident in Foxborough but they did not prevent the team from achieving its principal aim: winning the game and shedding the burden of not having won a World Cup match since 1990. The squad return to their base in Charlotte to recover and then prepare for a match against the Moroccans that could define their tournament. It will be a different night on Friday. But Scotland can smell more history in the air.