Scotland v Morocco: Commentary, updates, goals and stats as Saibari’s goal puts Atlas Lions ahead
Scotland are on course to make history tonight by entering the first round of the World Cup.
A draw with Morocco in Boston will probably be enough but a win will guarantee Steve Clarke’s men a place in the round of 32.
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Scotland knocked out Haiti in their first game but will have to raise their performance if they are to achieve their goal.
Morocco reached the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022 and earned a deserved draw against Brazil in their opening game in New Jersey.
And Clarke knows the challenge they face when they face a team that has been awarded the title of Africa Cup of Nations this year.
“Every time you play against a team that is in the top 10 in the world, you know you have to be good on the outside and on the ball,” said Clarke in a pre-match press conference.
“We don’t talk about the size of the task for the next game. Morocco reached the last four at the last World Cup and I think this team is a little bit better than that – that gives you an idea of ​​the work we still have to do.”
Where to watch Scotland v Morocco: TV channel, live streaming online
Kick-off on Friday is at 23:00 BST (18:00 ET / 15:00 PT). In the UK, broadcast live on ITV1.
Fans can stream the action via the ITV website and the ITVX app, available on a range of devices for viewing on the go.
World Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco stats
- 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.
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