Steve Clarke's Scotland side suffered a tough blow in Boston, going down 1-0 to Morocco in their second Group C fixture at the 2026 World Cup. The result leaves the Tartan Army needing a result against Brazil in their final group game just to keep their last-32 dreams alive.
The match got off to the worst possible start. Barely over a minute in, Ismael Saibari was sprung clear and rifled a brilliant strike into the top corner, leaving Scotland chasing the game almost from kickoff. They never really found their footing after that, going the entire match without testing the Moroccan goalkeeper, while Morocco themselves spurned a great chance to extend the lead when Bilal El Khannouss skied an effort over the bar before halftime.
Scotland did have some penalty shouts. John McGinn felt he was fouled in the box early in the second half, but the referee and VAR both waved it away. Soon after, Morocco nearly doubled their lead when Saibari's effort cannoned off the crossbar, with goalkeeper Angus Gunn then producing a strong save from the resulting corner. Scotland's best sniff of an equalizer came from Ryan Christie, who blazed a half-chance over the bar past the hour mark. A second penalty appeal — this time involving Scott McTominay — was also turned down late on.
How the players fared
Defence: Angus Gunn (6/10) had no chance with the goal and made some key saves to keep Scotland in it. Jack Hendry (6/10) was arguably Scotland's standout, making a crucial block on Saibari's crossbar effort. Grant Hanley (5/10) passed reasonably well but showed his age at times, while Kieran Tierney (5/10) battled hard defensively before limping off injured.
Midfield: Nathan Patterson (5/10) struggled to make an attacking impact, and Ryan Christie (4/10) had a rough night, missing Scotland's clearest chance. Lewis Ferguson (6/10) worked tirelessly even though he was outplayed by Morocco's Ayyoub Bouaddi. John McGinn (4/10) had an off-night, struggling with his passing and duels, while Andy Robertson (5/10), deployed as a wing-back, didn't get forward much and had a tough time containing Achraf Hakimi.
Attack: Scott McTominay (5/10) was energetic but careless in possession and never quite settled into his role. Che Adams (4/10) barely got a sniff of the ball, managing only a handful of touches before being substituted.
Off the bench: Ben Gannon-Doak (5/10) showed flashes of promise but lacked composure. Kenny McLean (5/10) worked hard without adding much quality, and Lyndon Dykes (4/10) saw very little of the ball after coming on. Anthony Ralston and Ross Stewart came on too late to be rated. As for manager Steve Clarke (4/10), this was a game he likely targeted as winnable, but his side simply didn't show up — and they'll need to find a much better level against Brazil.
Scotland now face a daunting must-not-lose finale against Brazil on June 24, while Morocco take on Haiti the same day.
Tags
2026 FIFA world cup