Morocco 1-0 Scotland: Saibari's early strike seals second place in Group C
Ismael Saibari's second-minute goal gave Morocco a 1-0 win over Scotland, securing second place in Group C and a spot in the Round of 16.
On June 25, 2026, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Boston, Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Ismael Saibari in the 2nd minute, securing second place in Group C and a spot in the Round of 16.
Morocco started the match with high intensity. In the 2nd minute, Brahim Diaz provided an assist for Saibari, who calmly slotted the ball into the net. This proved to be the only goal of the match, putting Scotland on the back foot early.
Scotland attempted to respond after conceding, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances against Morocco's solid defense. At halftime, Morocco led 1-0, with Scotland failing to register a single shot on target.
In the second half, Scotland pushed forward but could not break down Morocco's resilient backline. Scotland managed only 6 total shots with 0 on target, while Morocco had 12 shots with 2 on target. The score remained 1-0 until the final whistle.
Statistically, Morocco dominated possession with 59%, completing 90% of their passes (600 accurate out of 670), compared to Scotland's 41% possession and 85% pass accuracy (388 accurate out of 456). Morocco also earned 5 corner kicks to Scotland's 2. Expected goals (xG) stood at 0.99 for Morocco and 0.51 for Scotland. Morocco's goalkeeper made 0 saves, while Scotland's keeper made 1. Scotland committed 11 fouls to Morocco's 8, and each team received one yellow card.
The man of the match was Morocco forward Ismael Saibari, who earned a rating of 7.9. The 24-year-old PSV Eindhoven striker played 84 minutes, scoring 1 goal, with 1 shot, 1 key pass, and 25 passes. Saibari was born in Terrassa, Spain, and has 29 caps for Morocco, with a market value of €40 million.
After the group stage, Brazil and Morocco both have 7 points, with Brazil topping the group on goal difference. Scotland sits third with 3 points, while Haiti is last with 0. Morocco's victory secured their progression to the knockout stage.
For Scotland, the loss means they finish third in the group with 1 win and 2 losses, failing to advance. Morocco will now face an opponent from another group in the Round of 16.
For more match details, visit the match page. Team information for Scotland and Morocco can be found at Scotland and Morocco. Group standings are available on the Group C page.