World Cup 2026: Morocco's inability to kill games off could haunt Atlas Lions as stressful Scotland win raises concerns

Morocco unofficially booked their spot successful the circular of 32 astatine World Cup 2026 connected Friday, edging Scotland 1-0 successful Boston. But a triumph that was secured successful a authorities of nerves, contempt starring for much than 90 minutes, indispensable service arsenic a informing for Mohamed Ouahbi's side.

One representation from the last whistle told the full story. Seconds aft the lucifer ended, centre-back Issa Diop was seen giving a crisp dressing-down to teammate Samir El Mourabet successful the centre circle. Not the images that usually travel a comfy win.

And so the closing stages had been highly tense, with Morocco coming adjacent to conceding a precocious equaliser. The Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay's changeable into the broadside netting, the interaction betwixt McTominay and Neil El Aynaoui successful the punishment area, Lyndon Dykes' header — each of these incidents could easy person gone the different mode connected a much investigating evening, and Morocco would person near the contention frustrated and afloat of regret. How did they find themselves successful that presumption erstwhile they had been successful beforehand aft conscionable 1 infinitesimal and 10 seconds?

A costly deficiency of objective edge

Three points secured for Morocco ✅#FIFAWorldCup

Given the fig of chances they created, the Atlas Lions had perfectly nary crushed to beryllium clinging connected for beloved beingness astatine the end. El Aynaoui and, much so, Bilal El Khannouss had the shot of a 2-0 successful the archetypal half, but some squandered their opportunities. After the break, Ismael Saibari — who had scored the opener wrong 2 minutes — struck the barroom from a deflected effort, and El Khannouss' header was kept retired by a singular prevention from Angus Gunn. Later successful the match, Brahim Diaz made the incorrect prime erstwhile helium opted to spell unsocial wrong the area, which near Saibari isolated and furious connected the left.

The tempo dropped — and informing signs followed

Against Brazil, Morocco had started brightly for 30 minutes earlier dropping their level and coming nether pressure. Against Scotland, the aforesaid signifier repeated itself. Ouahbi's men dominated comfortably successful the archetypal half, with Scotland's archetypal existent opening not arriving until the closing minutes earlier the break, erstwhile Andy Robertson's transportation was poorly met by John McGinn.

In the 2nd half, Morocco progressively loosened their grip and yet ended the lucifer struggling to play retired from their ain half.

At the last whistle, Ouahbi sought to play down the drama: 'We would person liked to people the 2nd extremity to beryllium much comfortable. We wanted to support them precise precocious up to forestall them from getting adjacent our area. It is existent that, astatine 1-0 precocious on, with Scotland's qualities… But it does not matter. We had said among ourselves: nary panic. We bash what needs to beryllium done, we defend, we support pressing. We lacked a small efficiency. We enactment successful a large show and showed that, adjacent successful hard moments, these players play for Morocco, for the shirt, and we determination on.'

The fans person spoken – Ismael Saibari is your Superior Player of the Match! ?#FIFAWorldCup #SuperiorPOTM pic.twitter.com/7yw6UeV0U8

At the consequent property conference, the Morocco brag was much candid, admitting: 'I bash not deliberation we managed the lucifer arsenic good arsenic we could person done.' He did, however, constituent to signs of progress: 'There were moments successful this lucifer where, successful the past, we mightiness person conceded a goal.'

Behind that measured optimism lies a genuine concern. A Morocco broadside that has recovered themselves successful beforehand precise rapidly successful some of their World Cup fixtures truthful acold does not yet look to cognize however to negociate a lead. The Atlas Lions look to hesitate betwixt sitting connected the people and continuing to property forward. That inability to perpetrate to a wide attack has doubly travel dangerously adjacent to costing them — and it cannot proceed into the knockout stage.