The game was about 15 minutes in and a familiar script appeared to be taking shape. After an initial flurry, Scotland were under the pump, struggling to deal with the intensity and physicality of a determined Haiti team. Passes were going astray and tackles were being missed. It seemed only a matter of time before calamity became manifest, but there was one route of escape, summarised eloquently by a cry from the crowd: “Hit it long for the wee man!”
Ben Gannon-Doak, the wee man in question, did what was required of him. The balls did indeed start going long to the Bournemouth winger and, when they did, he took the fight to the opposition. In the 17th minute he surged to the byline to square the ball for a Scott McTominay effort that came back off a post. Twelve minutes later, after great hold up play from Ché Adams, he again went deep, then nipped past the full-back Martin Expérience to tee up Adams for a shot that was parried away from close range. The loose ball came to John McGinn, and a deflected effort from Scotland’s No 7 found the back of the net to ultimately decide the outcome of the match.
