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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Ryan McDougall

Scotland ‘on the right track’ to qualify for next stage of World Cup – Swinney

John Swinney is hopeful Scotland can push through to the next stage of the World Cup (Ryan McDougall/PA) -

The First Minister has said he hopes Scotland are “on the right track” to qualify for the next stage of the World Cup after the team beat Haiti 1-0.

Mr Swinney predicted Scotland would beat the Caribbean nation and now says they can defeat Morocco 2-1 on Friday.

He told the Press Association: “We’ve got to make sure we use the leading position we’ve got in the group by making further wins in the rest of the group matches that we’ve got.

“I predict we will defeat Morocco by 2-1, and I had said we’d beat Haiti 2-1, so we had one goal of a difference with them.

“Hopefully we’re on the right track, and Brazil may well be a challenge, but of course the Brazil-Morocco result last night was a bit of a surprise, and obviously assists in making sure that Scotland might have a way through all this.

“We look forward to the optimism, and I think that’s how people in Scotland feel. This has been a experience – a long time coming. 28 years we’ve waited to get into the World Cup, we’ve now done that, it was done in style last night by the men’s national team and by the Tartan Army.”

The First Minister said that Boston locals have spoken highly of the Tartan Army.

Scotland’s John McGinn celebrates during the World Cup Group C match at Boston Stadium, Foxborough (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)
Scotland’s John McGinn celebrates during the World Cup Group C match at Boston Stadium, Foxborough (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)

He said: “The Tartan Army were absolutely magnificent in supporting the team, and also in being ambassadors for Scotland in all of their time here in Boston.

“I’ve been speaking to local people here in Boston. They’ve been complimenting the Tartan Army on their contributions, so it’s been an absolutely joyful trip, and I know it will have brought a huge amount of pleasure to people back home in Scotland and the travelling fans, that Scotland won against Haiti last night, and we’re top of the group.”

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