MUNDIAL·26

First Stage · Group C · Friday, June 19 · Boston Stadium, Boston · 64,146 in the stands

kickoff 18:00 local · 25°C · 42% humidity

Scotland

0:1

Morocco

2′ Ismael SAIBARI (pen)

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Scotland4-4-1-1
Morocco4-2-3-1
Angus GUNN6.3Andy ROBERTSON6.4Grant HANLEY6.6Kieran TIERNEY6.6Jack HENDRY6.7Nathan PATTERSON6.6Scott McTOMINAY6.2John McGINN6.2Ryan CHRISTIE6.6Lewis FERGUSON6.6Che ADAMS6.6Yassine BOUNOU6.9Achraf HAKIMI7.2Noussair MAZRAOUI6.8Issa DIOP6.1Chadi RIAD7.1Ayyoub BOUADDI6.6Azzedine OUNAHI7.2Ismael SAIBARI7.9Bilal EL KHANNOUSS6.7Neil EL AYNAOUI7.1Brahim DIAZ7.7
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′SCOMAR

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 2′Saibari0.13 xG
SCO 0:0 MAR0'kickoff
2' Saibari — xG 0.13 · Goal21' Bouaddi — xG 0.01 · Blocked30' El Aynaoui — xG 0.07 · Missed36' El Khannouss — xG 0.17 · Missed38' Hakimi — xG 0.30 · Missed45 + 1' McGinn — xG 0.16 · Missed45 + 2' Tierney — xG 0.03 · Blocked50' Saibari — xG 0.10 · Blocked52' El Khannouss — xG 0.01 · Saved58' Diaz — xG 0.04 · Blocked62' Hakimi — xG 0.01 · Missed64' Christie — xG 0.04 · Missed85' McTominay — xG 0.03 · Blocked86' Dykes — xG 0.14 · Missed88' McTominay — xG 0.10 · Blocked90 + 1' Talbi — xG 0.01 · Blocked90 + 3' Talbi — xG 0.04 · Missed90 + 5' Amaimouni — xG 0.09 · Missed

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The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

SCO 0:0 MAR
0.51.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′2' Saibari — GOAL0.500.98

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

SCO 4-4-1-1 attack →, ← MAR 4-2-3-1 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

1Angus GUNNAngus GUNN3Andy ROBERTSONAndy ROBERTSON5Grant HANLEYGrant HANLEY6Kieran TIERNEYKieran TIERNEY13Jack HENDRYJack HENDRY22Nathan PATTERSONNathan PATTERSON4Scott McTOMINAYScott McTOMINAY7John McGINNJohn McGINN11Ryan CHRISTIERyan CHRISTIE19Lewis FERGUSONLewis FERGUSON10Che ADAMSChe ADAMS1Yassine BOUNOUYassine BOUNOU2Achraf HAKIMIAchraf HAKIMI3Noussair MAZRAOUINoussair MAZRAOUI14Issa DIOPIssa DIOP18Chadi RIADChadi RIAD6Ayyoub BOUADDIAyyoub BOUADDI8Azzedine OUNAHIAzzedine OUNAHI11Ismael SAIBARIIsmael SAIBARI23Bilal EL KHANNOUSSBilal EL KHANNOUSS24Neil EL AYNAOUINeil EL AYNAOUI10Brahim DIAZBrahim DIAZ

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

39%
Possession
55%
0.74
Expected goals
0.80
49
Threat
51
6
Shots
12
0
On target
2
403
Passes completed
612
39
Forced turnovers
40
25.5s
Ball recovery time
17.2s
6.06
High-press phases
7.44
7
Fouls committed
10
1
Offsides
0
118 km
Distance covered
115 km
34.0 km/h
Top speed
35.1 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. Scotland attack →, ← Morocco attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 2′Ismael SAIBARI (Morocco) scores!!
  2. 22′Issa DIOP (Morocco) is booked by the referee.
  3. 60′Ben GANNON-DOAK (in) comes off the bench to replace Kieran TIERNEY (out) (Scotland)
  4. 65′Andy ROBERTSON (Scotland) is booked by the referee.
  5. 71′Lyndon DYKES (in) comes off the bench to replace Che ADAMS (out) (Scotland)
  6. 71′Kenny McLEAN (in) comes off the bench to replace Ryan CHRISTIE (out) (Scotland)
  7. 83′Soufiane RAHIMI (in) comes off the bench to replace Ismael SAIBARI (out) (Morocco)
  8. 83′Chemsdine TALBI (in) comes off the bench to replace Bilal EL KHANNOUSS (out) (Morocco)
  9. 83′Ayoube AMAIMOUNI (in) comes off the bench to replace Brahim DIAZ (out) (Morocco)
  10. 88′Anthony RALSTON (in) comes off the bench to replace Nathan PATTERSON (out) (Scotland)
  11. 88′Ross STEWART (in) comes off the bench to replace John McGINN (out) (Scotland)
  12. 90′Samir EL MOURABET (in) comes off the bench to replace Azzedine OUNAHI (out) (Morocco)

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

Saibari's mastery sinks Scotland before they could breathe

Morocco opened with a goal at the 2nd minute and never looked threatened. With 55 per cent possession and a more aggressive high press (7.4 phases to Scotland's 6.1), Saibari and Brahim Diaz controlled the tempo throughout. Scotland defended in deep formation, rarely venturing forward. Morocco won the ball significantly faster—17.2 seconds recovery versus Scotland's 25.5—suffocating any Scottish build-up play. By half-time, the match was decided despite Morocco's attacking imprecision.

Scotland's weakness was clinical precision. Zero shots on target despite 0.74 expected goals—a damning indictment of accuracy. Hendry (6.7) and Hanley (6.6) fought admirably in defence, but the midfield created nothing. Morocco squandered more than they converted: big chances at 36' and 38' (xG 0.30 and 0.17 respectively) went begging, and Scotland found one genuine opening at 45+1' that their toothless attack could not finish. Fortune favoured Morocco's early precision.

Scotland managed zero shots on target from six attempts despite 0.74 expected goals—the precise measure of why Morocco's early strike proved decisive.

2′

Morocco's goal set the tone: early strike from 0.13 xG decided the group match.

What Scotland needed

Pressed too late, finished never; ceded midfield before half-time.

  • Ball recovery time 25.5s: eight seconds slower than Morocco (17.2s), ceded field and tempo.
  • Zero shots on target despite 0.74 xG: Hendry (6.7) defended well but midfield creation failed.
  • Formation (4-4-1-1) never pressed: Saibari (7.9) and Diaz (7.7) ran the game unchallenged.

What Morocco needed

Saibari and Diaz's midfield mastery sealed it; wasteful finishing nearly cost the win.

  • Early goal (2') from 0.13 xG: converted low-probability chance while high press (7.4) overwhelmed.
  • Ball recovery 7.3s faster (17.2s vs 25.5s): won physical battle, starved Scotland possession.
  • Missed big chances (0.30 and 0.17 xG at 36', 38'): nearly let Scotland back in.