Scotland loses 1-0 to Morocco after conceding inside 70 seconds and having two penalty appeals denied
A strike 70 seconds in condemned Scotland to a 1-0 defeat against Morocco at the World Cup in Foxborough, with two second-half penalty appeals turned down that could have rescued a point.
The fastest of starts for Morocco
Ismael Saibari’s emphatic volley 70 seconds into the contest at Boston Stadium gave Scotland the earliest goal they have ever conceded at a World Cup. Brahim Diaz slipped the PSV forward in behind, Saibari brushed off Jack Hendry and rifled a finish into the top-left corner, leaving the Tartan Army behind the goal motionless. Scotland froze; within minutes Bilal El Khannouss almost doubled the lead, and Achraf Hakimi tested Angus Gunn as Morocco dominated the opening spell.
Scotland’s second-half rally and the penalty flashpoints
Steve Clarke abandoned his risk-averse reputation in the second half, throwing on attacking players in search of an equaliser. Scotland improved markedly and twice appealed strongly for penalties. Scott McTominay went down under a challenge, then John McGinn tumbled; referee Ilgiz Tantashev dismissed both claims. “You’ve seen them given,” was the collective feeling in the stands, and Lewis Ferguson later described the performance as “deserved of a point”.
I’ve seen a lot of negative stuff about us winning against Haiti in the first game and it baffled me to be honest because it’s so, so difficult.
What the result means for the group
Scotland had entered the match with three points from their opening win over Haiti. The single-goal defeat leaves them on three points and a goal difference of zero heading into Wednesday’s meeting with Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil. A draw, or potentially even a one-goal defeat, could still send them through to the last 32 for the first time in their history, though the missed opportunity in Foxborough stung.
- Kick-off at Boston Stadium, Foxborough
- Ismael Saibari puts Morocco 1-0 ahead, the earliest goal Scotland have conceded at a World Cup
- Half-time: Scotland trails after a dominant Moroccan first half
- Second half resumes with Scotland pushing for an equaliser
- Scott McTominay’s penalty appeal is waved away by referee Ilgiz Tantashev
- Full-time: Morocco wins 1-0; Scotland finish with three points ahead of Brazil clash
A sobering night for the travelling fans
Some 20,000 Scots had descended on Massachusetts, generating a party atmosphere that even saw locals don kilts on the Boston news. The early goal silenced the celebrations, and while the second-half fightback reignited hope briefly, the evening ended with Andy Robertson rubbing his face in frustration and Lyndon Dykes looking ill. The Tartan Army now turns its attention to Miami, hoping the regrets of the first 70 seconds do not prove terminal.
