Saibari’s 71-second strike sent Morocco on to a 1-0 win against Scotland
Morocco took a huge step towards the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup after Ismael Saibari’s early strike secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Scotland in their Group C match in Boston on Friday.
The North Africans needed just 71 seconds to find the breakthrough. Brahim Diaz weaved a clever pass through the Scottish defense and Saibari burst into the box before unleashing an unstoppable finish past Angus Gunn. It was the PSV Eindhoven midfielder’s second goal of the tournament after also finding the net in Morocco’s opening draw against Brazil.
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An early goal set the tone for a first half dominated by Walid Regragui. Morocco pressed aggressively, controlled possession and repeatedly forced Scotland into mistakes. Achraf Hakimi and Azzedine Ounahi dictated proceedings while Saibari kept finding spaces that left Steve Clarke’s men chasing shadows.
Scotland struggled to establish any rhythm and spent most of the opening 45 minutes pinned in their own half. The Tartan Army faithful generated plenty of noise in the stands but their side failed to convert that support into meaningful attacking moments as Morocco took a deserved one-goal advantage into the break.
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Morocco continued with the same intensity after half-time, almost doubling their lead on several occasions. Hakimi continued to make dangerous runs while Brahim Diaz remained a constant threat in Scotland’s back line.
They came closest to the second goal shortly after the restart. Saibari again found space in the box and saw his effort deflected before hitting the crossbar. It was another warning sign for Scotland, who were lucky to be just one goal behind.
Brahim Diaz also came close after driving through on goal, only for a heavy first touch to give Scotland a vital escape. Time and again it looked like Morocco might find the decisive second goal, but a combination of wasteful finishing and resilient defending kept the game alive.
The Atlas Lions also continued to trouble Scotland with their relentless pressure. Ryan Christie and Che Adams found little joy in possession, while Hakimi’s deliveries from wide areas repeatedly tested the Scottish defence.
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To their credit, Scotland improved significantly after the break. The introductions of Ben Doak, Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean injected new energy into Clarke’s side, which finally began to enjoy longer spells of possession.
Ryan Christie produced a promising performance over the bar after neat interplay between Andy Robertson and Scott McTominay, while Dykes headed wide from a dangerous position as Scotland desperately searched for an equaliser.
The Scots prevailed in the closing stages knowing that even a point could be invaluable as Brazil await in their final group game. However, Morocco’s defense remained organized and composed under pressure, limiting Scotland to half chances rather than clear opportunities.
After six minutes of stoppage time, referee Ilgiz Tantashev called time off to confirm the result, which leaves Morocco firmly in control of the World Cup destiny.
The win moves Morocco to four points from two matches and puts them in an excellent position to qualify for the round of 32. Scotland remain on three points after their opening win over Haiti and now face a daunting final group clash against five-time world champions Brazil, who need a result to keep their hopes of elimination firmly within their grasp.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
20 Jun 2026 06:21 IST