Gannon-Doak impresses: Key takeaways from Scotland's World Cup win over Haiti

Gannon-Doak one to watch

One of the promising performers for Scotland on the night was winger Ben Gannon-Doak.

The 20-year-old was a menace throughout the encounter and maintained a constant threat down the right-hand side, taking on his man and getting a pass into a teammate or a cross into the box.

Gannon-Doak's numbers backed up what was an impressive showing on the 'eye-test', attempting six dribbles, two crosses and six passes into the final third. While his actions didn't always come off, the Bournemouth youngster was an important outlet for Scotland - particularly in a match where they had less dominance than they might have expected.

He is still on the road to full fitness after a serious hamstring injury curtailed almost all of last season - Gannon-Doak hadn't played 90 minutes since October - and that started to show as his influence faded in the second half against Haiti.

Scotland fans will have plenty to look forward to if he builds on a promising display, though, and things will only get better as his fitness levels improve.

Defensive unit impressive

Haiti's key threat throughout the match came from out wide, with their players attempting 23 crosses. Of those 23, though, perhaps only one produced a meaningful chance.

Scotland's defenders dealt with everything thrown at them without much issue. Grant Hanley impressed by shutting down most of what Wilson Isidor tried to do and Jack Hendry was equally important in winning all four of the duels he contested.

Manager Steve Clarke will also be pleased with the contributions of his full-back pairing, Andrew Robertson and Aaron Hickey.

The duo earned the joint-highest Flashscore player ratings across both teams at 7.4, with their impact felt at both ends of the pitch.

Between them, Robertson and Hickey combined to make four key passes, create one big chance, win eight duels, attempt six crosses and make six clearances.

Shankland struggles

A slight negative for the Scots was the lack of involvement from striker Lawrence Shankland.

The 30-year-old managed just 28 touches and had little impact at the top end of the pitch with just two shots (one blocked, one off target) and one accurate pass in the final third.

A lack of involvement isn't necessarily Shankland's fault, as a lot of Scotland's attacking play came from their wide men, full-backs and fellow striker Che Adams.

Adams offered more going forward with his penetrating runs in behind - one of which led to McGinn's decisive strike - and that isn't really Shankland's style.

The new Rangers signing won't be pleased with his involvement, but after bagging three goals in the pre-World Cup friendlies, he remains crucial for upcoming matches against Morocco and Brazil. His lethal finishing will be key if the Tartan Army are to pick up more points in Group C - they just need to get the ball into him a little bit more.

Plenty to like from Haiti

As for Haiti, losing on their return to the World Cup after 52 years away will sting. The result is particularly tough to take considering the fact that they played very well for the majority of the match.

Les Granediers can take pride in their performance, though, and the way they imposed themselves on a superior opponent bodes well for matches against Brazil and Morocco.

Wing pairing Ruben Providence and Louicius Deedson looked electric and the non-stop running in midfield from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde also caught the eye.

Isidor was busy upfront but saw his impact limited, while striker partner Frantzdy Pierrot offered an outlet for those around him to play off of.

There was lots to like from the Haitians and they shouldn't be counted out just yet.

McGinn crucial again

On a momentous evening for Scotland, it's no surprise that the result was decided by McGinn - now their fifth-highest scorer of all time.

He arrived in the right place at the right time to open the scoring with a deflected effort from just inside the penalty area. While not at his best across the whole match, it's those key moments that make him indispensable for the Tartan Army.

The 31-year-old has been crucial to Clarke's side for some time now and has amassed the fourth-most appearances in the nation's history.

McGinn has been in fantastic form since the start of 2026 with 12 goal contributions in 23 games in all competitions - helping Aston Villa win the Europa League in the process - and he will continue to be a key man for Scotland at the 2026 World Cup.