Morocco Take Control Early, Defeat Scotland 1-0

Morocco boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Ismael Saibari's early strike secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Scotland in their Group C encounter on Friday.

Saibari needed just 70 seconds to break the deadlock in Boston, latching onto a precise pass from Brahim Diaz before firing an unstoppable shot into the top corner beyond Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

The goal proved decisive as Morocco claimed their first victory of the tournament and moved into a strong position in the race for a place in the Round of 32.

Scotland, who opened their campaign with a win over Haiti, knew victory would have guaranteed qualification for the knockout stage of a major international tournament for the first time in their history. However, Steve Clarke's side struggled to recover after the early setback.

Morocco dominated much of the opening half and came close to extending their lead through Achraf Hakimi, Bilal El Khannouss and Saibari, but Gunn produced several important saves to keep Scotland in the contest.

The Scots improved after the break and pushed for an equaliser, with Scott McTominay at the centre of several promising attacks. Scotland also appealed for a penalty in the closing stages after McTominay went down under a challenge from Neil El Aynaoui, but referee Ilgiz Tantashev waved away the protests.

Despite their late pressure, Scotland failed to register a shot on target and could not find a way past Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

The victory leaves Morocco firmly in contention for a knockout berth, while Scotland's qualification hopes will now depend on the outcome of their final group-stage match.

Saibari's goal was the fastest of the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far and made him the first Moroccan player to score in consecutive World Cup appearances.