Scotland Avoids Humiliation Against Morocco, But Faces Uphill Battle

Scotland would have taken this outcome after 70 seconds. Ismael Saibiri had fired this highly-rated Moroccan team ahead. Men in kilts gulped under the blazing Massachusetts sun. Scotland may even privately have taken this outcome before a ball was kicked. Avoidance of a comprehensive defeat against Brazil will leave them with at least a fighting chance of becoming the first Scotland team to progress to the knockout phase of a major tournament.

Easier said than done, of course, but a scenario where history remains within the grasp of Steve Clarke and his players. Onwards to Miami, for what promises to be quite the spectacle. The value in beating Haiti by a goal or only losing this by the same will all be apparent by full-time on Wednesday. The Tartan Army need calculators in hand.

Morocco will feel frustration when assessing this game, despite the claiming of four points out of six. They have individual and collective ability to dwarf that of Scotland, which at times was perfectly obvious. Nonetheless, victory by only a single goal leaves the sense of a team failing to make the most of opportunity. They will want to be much more ruthless against Haiti.

The good news for Scotland at the interval was that they only trailed by a goal. There were ominous similarities to the opening game of Euro 2024, when the Scots froze in the first period and were 3-0 down to Germany. As then, Clarke’s team were jittery and ragged. Players in navy shirts seemed surprised when opponents tried to hassle them off the ball. Scotland were dreadful in possession and lacked attacking impetus, until a stoppage time flurry not in keeping with anything that had come before. John McGinn had a half chance then, which he miscued from Andy Robertson’s cross.

Clarke had sprung a surprise with the deployment of Kieran Tierney on the left of a five man midfield. The widespread assumption had been Clarke would opt for a five-man defensive line. Instead, four was maintained with Tierney ahead of Robertson.

Scotland had little chance to find their positional bearings when Saibari cracked Morocco in front. Braham Díaz’s lofted pass deceived Grant Hanley, who appealed in vain for offside as Saibari ghosted in behind him. With a single touch, Saibari finished high beyond Angus Gunn. Scots on the pitch and in the stands were shellshocked.

It could and should have been much worse for Clarke by the break. His team had chased shadows. Morocco moved the ball with an urgency and menace that their opponents could not handle. After Ryan Christie was all-too easily shrugged off the ball, Azzedine Ounahi played a glorious ball across goal that somehow eluded both Díaz and Saibari.

Gunn reacted sharply to deny Achraf Hakimi, who had baffled the Scottish defence with an underlapping run. In front of the watching Pep Guardiola, both Ounahi and Bilal El Khannouss shot over the bar. Despite being comfortably the superior side, Morocco’s slender advantage fuelled Scottish hope.

The Scots did indeed start the second half in much more competent fashion. They screamed for a penalty as McGinn tumbled under the challenge of Neil El Aynaoui. Any such award would have been soft. Morocco responded immediately, Jack Hendry deflecting Saibari’s shot onto the crossbar before Gunn clawed an El Khannouss header out of his top corner.

An injury to Tierney triggered the introduction of Ben Gannon-Doak in the 60th minute. While the switch was enforced, Clarke would inevitably have turned towards the Bournemouth forward anyway. Instead it was Christie who threatened after collecting a pass from the hitherto anonymous Scott McTominay. By the final hydration – advert – break of the game, it had clearly flatlined. Morocco, who tend not to be high scorers, had failed to properly press home their superiority. Scotland, while still in the game, looked blunt. A World Cup classic, this was not.

Díaz dallied on the ball when Saibari stood in space and within yards of the Scotland goal. This final ball element had cost Morocco umpteen times.

Scotland screamed again for a penalty, this time after McTominay stumbled when seeking to evade El Aynaoui. The referee’s dismissal of the appeal was perfectly fair. This came, however, in a closing spell where the Scots were on the front foot. McTominay’s shot was deflected into side-netting with five minutes of regulation time to play. It was no coincidence that Scotland had markedly improved as McTominay’s influence on proceedings grew.

Morocco, who were profligate on the counterattack, did not look entirely comfortable as Scotland closed the game in route one style. With seconds remaining, the Scots won a corner. Near post, cleared. It’s only Brazil next.