Morocco defeats Scotland 1-0 and takes the lead in Group C

Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0 this Friday at the , placing them with four points in Group C of the 2026 World Cup, seriously complicating Scotland's chances of advancing to the next round.

The match was decided before the players finished settling on the field. Ismael Saibari opened the scoring just 73 seconds into the game —recorded in the 2nd minute— with a goal that was undeniable for a Scotland team that never found an answer.

It was not the first time that Saibari had made an impact in this World Cup. The 25-year-old midfielder from PSV Eindhoven had already scored Morocco's goal in the 1-1 draw against Brazil on the opening day, becoming the key offensive player for his national team in the tournament.

The match statistics clearly reflect who was in charge: Morocco had 60% possession, made 11 attempts compared to Scotland's six, and placed two shots on target while Scotland had none.

The five Moroccan corners against one Scottish corner complete the picture of a sustained dominance throughout the 90 minutes.

Scotland tried to respond with substitutions starting from the 60th minute, when Kieran Tierney, Che Adams, and Ryan Christie were replaced by Gannon-Doak, Dykes, and McLean. None of the changes resulted in any real threat.

Andrew Robertson received a yellow card in the 65th minute of a match in which the Scots committed ten fouls.

Morocco managed the advantage confidently and made their own substitutions in the final stretch, with three simultaneous changes in the 84th minute.

The result rearranges Group C ahead of the final matchday. Morocco climbs to four points and takes the lead, while Scotland — which came into this match as the leader with three points after its victory over Haiti in matchday 1 — remains with three points, and their qualification will depend on what happens in the group's conclusion.

On the third day, Morocco will face Haiti, while Scotland will take on Brazil in a match that will determine whether the Scots can extend their return to the World Cup after 28 years of absence.