2026 World Cup report, result, goals as Ismael Saibari hits winner after 70 seconds – and why McTominay’s penalty decision was ‘wrong’

Scotland may need a good result against five-time champions Brazil to stay at the 2026 World Cup after Steve Clarke’s side were beaten by Morocco who took a big step towards the knockout stages in Boston.

Ismael Saibari’s clinical finish after 70 seconds from Brahim Diaz’s pass proved enough for the Atlas Lions, who had the better of the competition and hit the woodwork when Jack Hendry blocked Saibari’s shot in the second half.

This result leaves Scotland with three points following their first win over Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil, with four points.

The Selecao and the Grenadiers meet in their second match of the tournament at 01:30 BST on Sunday.

2026 World Cup analysis: Scotland vs Morocco

Bayern Munich-bound Saibari put Morocco ahead after 21 minutes with a delicious header against Brazil and the PSV striker’s second goal of the World Cup set the tone as Scotland held on but failed to contribute a try.

Lyndon Dykes headed in another and Ben Gannon-Doak and Kenny McLean also helped Scotland build momentum as second-half substitutes, with Scott McTominay having a shot blocked in the side netting.

Should Scotland have been awarded a penalty here…? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/N0aBouLkrO

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 19, 2026

McTominay appealed to referee Ilgiz Tantashev to no avail after entering the penalty area with Neil El Aynaoui nearby.

“You can see there was a challenge on the left leg,” Scotland striker Ally McCoist told ITV, a view supported by pundit and former official Christina Unkel. “It is possible that the referee made a mistake.

FOR John McGinn to face from the ground level 🧐

Scotland wanted a penalty; VAR didn’t intervene, but should it? pic.twitter.com/hR8seoipao

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 19, 2026

“The second half was much better.

Former Ireland captain Roy Keane did not agree that the spack should have been issued. “The Moroccan puts his leg out, but it’s not enough to give a penalty,” added former Australia manager Ange Postecoglou.

“[McTominay] it was going down anyway.”

Morocco tested goalkeeper Angus Gunn on several occasions and came close when Ayoube Amaimouni bent a shot wide midway through the second period of extra time as Scotland made the numbers in front.

The 2022 semi-finals will be confident of progressing as one of the top two with a match against Haiti.

If they lose to Brazil, Scotland must hope that they will be one of the eight third-placed teams out of 12 teams if they are to reach the Last 32.

Scotland were narrowly unlucky not to get a point against Brazil in their first game in their last final appearance in 1998, when Tom Boyd’s 74th-minute goal decided the match.

Scotland, Morocco World Cup 2026 matches, schedule

Both teams play their final group stage matches on Wednesday.

World Cup 2026: Team Scotland vs Morocco

Full-back Scott McKenna was absent with a calf injury for Scotland, who brought in Kieran Tierney, Nathan Patterson and Ryan Christie.

Aaron Hickey, Ben Gannon-Doak and Lawrence Shankland got in the way.

Scotland starting XI: Angus Gunn, Andy Robertson, Grant Hanley, Kieran Tierney, Jack Hendry, Nathan Patterson, Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Che Adams

Scotland instead: Liam Kelly, Craig Gordon, Aaron Hickey, John Souttar, Dominic Hyam, Anthony Ralston, Scott McKenna, Tyler Fletcher, Kenny McLean, Lyndon Dykes, Ross Stewart, Ben Gannon-Doak, George Hirst, Lawrence Shankland, Findlay Curtis

World Cup 2026: Team Morocco vs Scotland

Morocco has not changed.

Morocco starting XI: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui, Brahim Diaz

Moroccan Substitutes: Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Marwane Saadane, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Youssef Belammari, Redouane Halhal, Anass Salah Eddine, Sofyan Amrabat, Chemseddine Talbi, Samir El Moukabit, Gessime Yassine, Soufiane Rahimi, Amine Uunia Elsaube

Scotland vs Morocco: Statistics for the 2026 World Cup

• The only time these teams faced each other was in the group stage of the 1998 final, with Morocco winning 3-0 in their biggest World Cup triumph.
• Scotland have won eight of their last 11 games (D1 L2) and five of their last six (L1), with their only defeat coming at home and away to Greece.
• John McGinn has scored 21 goals under manager Steve Clarke for Scotland, the joint-most goals scored by a player under one Scotland manager with Denis Law under Ian McColl (21 in 21 games)
• The Tartan Army could win more than one game and back-to-back games in one major tournament for the first time
• Clarke leads Scotland to a third major tournament following EURO 2020 and EURO 2024, more than any other national team head coach.
• Including EURO appearances, Scotland have failed to get past the opening round in any of their last 12 attempts at major tournaments.
• Nine of Morocco’s last 12 World Cup matches have been against European teams, with no team having played more matches in the tournament against European opposition since the 2018 final.
• Morocco have lost one of their last six World Cup group games against European opposition (W2 D3) – losing 1-0 against Portugal in 2018.
• They have not lost in their last five World Cup group games (W2 D3), which is jointly run by an African country: Cameroon did not lose in five between 1982 and 1990 and Senegal had five group games unbeaten between 2002 and 2018.
• Reigning African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi made more tackles (26) than any other player at the 2022 World Cup and recorded the second most duels won (41)
• Midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi captained France Under-21s until the midfielder’s move to Morocco was agreed in May. Brahim Diaz, the top scorer in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations with five goals, was born in Spain.