Scotland manager Steve Clarke has warned his team not to underestimate Haiti after the Caribbean side routed New Zealand 4-0 in a friendly in Florida. The result has turned heads in Scotland, where a victory over the 82nd-ranked team in the world is seen as essential for progression from Group C, which also includes Morocco and Brazil. Scotland will face Haiti in Boston next Saturday.
Clarke praises Haiti's quality
Speaking at a press conference in Harrison, New Jersey, Clarke said: "They were good the other night, I think you could see that. We have a terrible habit, not just in Scotland but the UK in general, of looking at these nations and thinking they are not very good or looking at where they are ranked in the world. They play in a different section of the world. Maybe their section is really good."
Clarke added: "I think if you watched them play the other night, they were much better than New Zealand. Big, strong, physical. And not only big, strong and physical but they are also technical. They have good players who play in good leagues. I was never under any illusion it wasn't going to be a tough game. It is probably nice that some people get to see how they played the other night. It is going to be a difficult game for us."
Tactical analysis
Clarke noted that Haiti's structure is well-organized: "You can't say it's 'free-style' because the structure of their team is actually pretty good. And their athleticism to get around the pitch makes that structure quite difficult to play against." Scotland's coaching staff attended the Haiti-New Zealand match to gather intelligence.
Scotland's preparations
Scotland, who have been training in Florida, have now moved to New Jersey where they will face Bolivia in a friendly on Saturday. Their World Cup preparations have been hampered by an injury to Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour, who suffered a setback against Curacao last weekend and has been ruled out of the tournament. However, Clarke remains pragmatic about the situation.
"Do you want to wrap them in cotton wool and [they] don't train?" Clarke asked. "You need to work. Injuries are part and parcel of football. When it happens, especially when it happens in the circumstances it happened to Billy, it is really disappointing. Everybody has got to take a deep breath and move forward again. That is what we will do."
Scotland are aiming to make an impact in their first World Cup appearance since 1998, and Clarke is focused on ensuring his team is ready for the challenges ahead.
