Scotland internationals endured a night of mixed emotions across the pond on Thursday, as Ryan Gauld ended a 501-day exile in style with a brace for Vancouver Whitecaps in their dramatic 4-3 MLS defeat to FC Cincinnati. The ex-Dundee United playmaker had missed most of the campaign after arthroscopic knee surgery, but returned to the Whitecaps’ starting XI for the first time since December 6, 2025 - and made it count.

What happened?

Gauld, wearing the captain’s armband, opened the scoring in Ohio when his long-range effort deflected past Roman Celentano just before the half-hour mark. The hosts had already gone ahead through Pavel Bucha on nine minutes, only for Jeevan Badwal to equalise three minutes later. Kevin Denkey restored parity from close range before Evander Ferreira’s drive bounced in off the post to fire Vancouver into a 3-1 lead at the break.

But Cincinnati fought back. Bucha made it 4-2 on 58 minutes, only for Gauld to blast home the best goal of the game two minutes later - a left-footed rocket from the edge of the box that arrowed into the bottom corner. The Whitecaps pushed hard for an equaliser in the final 30 minutes, but fell short. Gauld’s brace took his goal contributions for Vancouver past 100 since joining from Farense in summer 2021.

Scotland’s nightmare debut

Meanwhile, Angus Gunn suffered a horror start to his San Jose Earthquakes career. The former Nottingham Forest stopper, who joined on a free transfer earlier this month, was named in the starting XI for his debut - and picked the ball out of his net inside nine minutes when David Brekalo nodded home the opener. Orlando City doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark when Ivan Angulo’s shot slipped under Gunn’s body, before Antoine Griezmann added a third moments after the restart. Braian Ojeda made it 4-0 on 73 minutes when his header squirmed past the Scotland stopper.

Why it matters for Scotland

Gauld’s return to form is a boost for Scotland’s World Cup 2026 ambitions, especially after their last result ended in a 0-1 loss to Morocco on June 19, 2026. His creativity and leadership in midfield will be key as Steve Clarke looks to steady the ship following a recent run of three straight defeats. Gunn’s nightmare debut, though, serves as a reminder of the fine margins in top-flight football - and the pressure that comes with representing Scotland on the global stage.

Ryan Porteous, meanwhile, helped Los Angeles FC roar back into title contention with a strong defensive display against Real Salt Lake. The Hibs academy product, who hasn’t played for Scotland since March 2025, was restored to the LA starting XI and helped his side record two consecutive wins since the MLS restart earlier this month.

What comes next?

With Scotland’s next fixture looming against Switzerland at home on September 29, 2026, the national side will be watching closely. Gauld’s return to form and Porteous’ resurgence offer hope, but Gunn’s debut disaster underlines the challenges ahead. The recent form - one win and three losses in the last four games - shows just how quickly fortunes can shift. The countdown to the World Cup is on, and every performance counts.

Last result: Scotland 0-1 Morocco (2026-06-19).