How will Scotland approach Morocco game after opening win?

June 14, 2026 No Comments

How will Scotland approach Morocco game after opening win?Image source, ReutersImage caption, How will Scotland approach games against Morocco and Brazil after a tense opening victory over Haiti in Boston?ByAndy BurkeBBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in BostonPublished21 minutes agoThe Scottish sporting psyche demands that even in victory, the mind starts to drift forward to when and how it might all come crashing down.Scotland’s nervy opening 1-0 World Cup win over Haiti threw up plenty of questions.Why were the Scots made to sweat by a side ranked 83 in the world?How would that level of performance hold up against the teams ranked seven and six – Morocco and Brazil, their next two opponents?Will the slender winning margin come back to bite when goal difference could be the key to reaching the knockout stages?Maybe, though, it is better to step back and remember the big picture.John McGinn’s strike delivered Scotland’s first World Cup win in 36 years, just their fifth overall and their first opening-match victory at the tournament in 44 years.Steve Clarke’s side top Group C – for now at least – so perhaps this is a moment worth savouring.The 20-year-old who stole the show on Scotland’s World Cup return

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‘Job done, that’s all that matters’

“The performance wasn’t dazzling, but it’s a World Cup victory,” mentioned former Scotland forward James McFadden, a man who carried the hopes of the nation for so long without ever reaching the greatest stage of all.

“Scotland don’t win a lot of games at the World Cup. In fact, Scotland don’t play at many World Cups, so I think it’s huge.

“It was a must-win in terms of hopes and aspirations of getting out of the group. It felt a wee bit all or nothing and you’ve still got two more games, so it’s hugely positive.

“We have a real chance at getting out of the group. We’ve never seen a Scotland team do it, this could be the team to do it, and it all hinged on winning this game.

“It doesn’t matter how we got it done, we got the job done and that’s all that matters.”

Back to one up top?

The failure to add more goals against the lowest-ranked side in the competition is likely to gnaw away at those old enough to remember the World Cups of 1974, 1978 and 1982 when Scotland exited on goal difference.

The flip side is the Scots are just one good performance away from making history by progressing to the knockout stages for the first time.

With 32 of the 48 nations going through, a point against either Morocco or Brazil – who drew 1-1 on Saturday night – will almost certainly guarantee progress. Three points could well be enough if the goals against tally is low.

Might that mean we see a more cautious approach in the next two games?

Clarke went with two strikers against Haiti and former Scotland skipper Scott Brown expects one to drop out for the remaining Group C matches.

“I think [midfielder] Ryan Christie starts in both of them,” he mentioned. “I think we end up going back to one up front and we’d be a little bit more compact in the middle of the park.

“Ryan was fantastic when he came on. He’ll keep the ball, gives you that extra bit of legs and he fights for you as well.

“Are we going to have as much possession, as many opportunities against Morocco and Brazil?”

Neil McCann reckons a lone striker is the answer and suggests Lyndon Dykes is best suited to the role.

“He gets knock-downs, he holds it up for Scott McTominay and John McGinn to get beyond,” McCann mentioned.

Another former Scotland winger, Pat Nevin, also expects a change of system, but reckons Clarke will opt for an extra central defender.

“A 4-4-2 doesn’t suit us, the midfield is left completely wide open,” he mentioned.

“I think we need a back three. Morocco are so fluid and fast in attack. A back four against what they’ve got is difficult.”

McGinn fires Scotland to first World Cup win for 36 years

Test of mettle

Winning ugly was a theme in Scotland’s qualification journey. The “jobby performances” – McGinn’s words – in beating Greece and Belarus hardly set the pulses racing, but Scotland got what they needed from those games.

They will have to improve against Morocco and Brazil, of course they will. Those sides will not be as erratic as Haiti if they get the same sort of opportunities in the final third.

But the platform is there now. The nightmare scenario of a potentially fatal blow in game one has been avoided and Scotland are up and running.

Clarke will be hoping his big players can show a bit more of their class than we saw in Boston, but he will take precious points in Group C in whatever form they come.

“We’re the third best team in the group, that’s just the way it is,” mentioned former Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam.

“We’re going to need to be better with the ball, especially against Morocco.

“But we talk about resilience, good heart, we’ve got bundles of that, and we’re going to need it for the next two games.”

Win ugly, draw ugly. Whatever it takes to crash through that World Cup glass ceiling.

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