Saibari's 71-Second Strike Sinks Scotland, Morocco Top Group C
Scotland vs Morocco Match gallery: A disciplined Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0 in Group C of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Boston Stadium on Friday (June 19), thanks to a lightning-fast goal. Ismael Saibari scored the all-important goal after just 71 seconds, marking the fastest strike of this edition so far. Morocco completely controlled the game with 59% possession and 12 shots. Meanwhile, Scotland struggled to create dangerous chances, finishing with zero shots on target and two contested penalty appeals in the second half. The win pushes Morocco to the top of Group C with four points, while Scotland are second with three points. Next up, group rivals Brazil and Haiti were due to kick off in 30 minutes. Despite the defeat, Scotland's historic knockout dreams are still alive. They likely need just a single point from their final match to advance. The group stage will wrap up with Scotland playing Brazil and Morocco taking on Haiti. Relive the SCO vs MAR football match here:
Teammates congratulate Morocco's Ismael Saibari (11) after scoring his team's first goal during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Portraits of late Scottish fan Donny Strathie are displayed on screen as the Scotland players warm up prior to the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Moroccan fans cheer on their team, ahead of the start of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Scotland's Lewis Ferguson (19) warms up prior to the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Fans of Scotland cheer prior to the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Teams line up ahead of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland team pose for a group photo prior to the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, second left, stands with officials ahead of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke drinks water prior to the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
The Moroccan team lines up for a photograph ahead of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Morocco's Ismael Saibari, second from right, scores his side's opening goal during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Moroccan fans cheer on their team during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Scotland's Andy Robertson (3) and Morocco's Neil El Aynaoui (24) react after colliding during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland's Nathan Patterson, right, vies for the ball with Morocco's Bilal El Khannouss during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Morocco's Bilal El Khannouss controls the ball during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland's Lewis Ferguson (19) and Morocco's Bilal El Khannouss (23) battle for the ball during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Morocco's Ayyoub Bouaddi, centre, lunges for the ball with Scotland's John McGinn during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, right gives instructions to Morocco's Achraf Hakimi, in a hydration break during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Morocco's Achraf Hakimi (2) gestures as he talks with referee Ilgiz Tantashev during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Morocco's Ismael Saibari, right, attempts a shot on goal challenged by Scotland's Jack Hendry during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland's Lewis Ferguson, right, challenges Morocco's Brahim Diaz during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Morocco's Ismael Saibari, right, controls the ball followed by Scotland's Lewis Ferguson during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland's Scott McTominay (4) competes for the ball with Morocco's Neil El Aynaoui (24)during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Morocco's Neil El Aynaoui (24) and Scotland's Kieran Tierney (60 collide during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland's John McGinn, left is fouled by Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui, who slides into tackle during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Scotland's Grant Hanley, centre, attempts to head the ball under pressure from Morocco's Ismael Saibari, left, and Issa Diop during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Scotland's Nathan Patterson runs for the ball during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Players compete for the ball during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland's Ryan Christie left appeals to referee Ilgiz Tantashev for a penalty, which was not given during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Scotland's Grant Hanley, center, heads the ball over Morocco's Ayyoub Bouaddi during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn (1) blocks a shot at goal during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Morocco's Achraf Hakimi, left, and teammate Morocco's Azzedine Ounahi, talk together during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Morocco's Gessime Yassine, top, and Scotland's Che Adams compete for the ball during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Referee Ilgiz Tantashev, right, checks on Scotland's Lewis Ferguson during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) collides with Scotland's Ben Gannon-Doak (17) during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Portraits of Donny Strathie, a Scotland fan who passed away in the last week, are displayed on the screen during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland fans pay tribute to Donny Strathie, a Scotland fan who passed away in the last week, during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland's Jack Hendry (13) falls to the ground as he battles for the ball with Morocco's Neil El Aynaoui (24), Chadi Riad (18), and Achraf Hakimi (2) during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland's Ben Gannon-Doak, top, jumps over Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui (3) during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Morocco's Achraf Hakimi (2) helps teammate and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland's John McGinn, left, shakes hands with Ross Stewart after being substituted during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Scotland's Lyndon Dykes (9) congratulates Moroccan players following the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
Scotland's players walk round the pitch applauding the fans after the end of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Scotland fans react during a screening of the FIFA World Cup Group C match between Scotland and Morocco at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotalnd, on Friday June 19, 2026. Steve Welsh/PA via AP
The Moroccan team celebrate after the end of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. AP Photo/Charles Krupa