Foxborough, USA – Morocco moved closer to securing a place in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Scotland. The match took place on Saturday morning as part of the second round of group stage fixtures.
The match, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, saw the Atlas Lions assert their dominance from the opening minutes. As a result, they secured three crucial points, strengthening their position in the qualification race.
The Moroccan national team didn’t have to wait long to open the scoring, as Ismail Saïbari found the net in the second minute. The goal came when he capitalized on a loose ball inside the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot that nestled into the goal, giving his team an early advantage.
اسماعيل الصيباري يفتتح التسجيل مبكراً للمنتخب المغربي
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— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 19, 2026The Moroccan team continued their attacking pressure after the goal and nearly doubled their lead on several occasions. A notable chance came in the ninth minute when Sibari sent a dangerous ball into the penalty area, but it eluded Azzedine Ounahi without anyone being there to convert it into a goal.
Before the end of the first half, Bilal Al-Khanous squandered a golden opportunity to extend the lead after finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, his effort failed to result in a second goal.
In the second half, the Moroccan advantage continued, and Sibari came close to scoring his second personal goal in the 49th minute. But his shot rebounded off the post, much to the dismay of the Moroccan fans.
The Scottish team tried to get back into the game in the final minutes, but the Atlas Lions’ organized defense prevented them from seriously threatening their goal. Ultimately, the match ended with a well-deserved 1-0 victory for Morocco.
With this victory, Morocco raised its tally to 4 points, topping its group and taking a big step closer to qualifying for the round of 32. In contrast, Scotland’s tally remained at 3 points, leaving the competition open until the final round.
