By OkayGoal 
Morocco secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Scotland in their second Group C encounter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Ismael Saibaris early goal proving decisive in a tense contest that featured VAR drama and late Scottish pressure.The Atlas Lions needed just two minutes to stamp their authority on the match played on Friday night.A perfectly weighted through ball from Brahim Daz split the Scottish defence open, allowing Ismael Saibari to burst into the box and unleash a powerful finish into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.It was a moment of clinical precision that ultimately separated the two sides in an otherwise closely contested game.Despite taking an early advantage, Morocco were unable to fully kill off the match. In the 36th minute, Bilal El Khannouss found himself in a promising position inside the box after an excellent pass, but he fired high over the crossbar, squandering a big opportunity to double the lead.That miss kept Scotland alive in the contest heading into the break.The second half was heavily influenced by controversial refereeing decisions and VAR intervention. In stoppage time of the first half, the referee paused play to review a possible penalty incident for Scotland, but after checking the monitor, he waved away the appeals.Scotland continued to push after the restart, with another penalty shout in the 49th minute also dismissed. The referee again signalled no foul after consultation, leaving the Scottish players visibly frustrated.As the match wore on, Scotland threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. In the 82nd minute, they found themselves in a dangerous position inside the box, but once again the referee refused to point to the spot despite strong appeals.Morocco, meanwhile, nearly sealed the win late on when Chemsdine Talbi fired narrowly over the bar in the 90+3rd minute, coming close to a second goal that would have eased the tension.
Three points secured for Morocco #FIFAWorldCup
FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2026The result sends Morocco to the top of Group C, at least temporarily, ahead of Brazils second group fixture against Haiti.It is a crucial win for the Atlas Lions and is expected to be enough to secure their place in the Round of 32.
Source link