Final score: Scotland 0-1 Morocco
It’s all on Brazil in Miami now for Scotland. They paid the price for an early lapse and will rue what looked a penalty in the second half. The dream is still alive. Morocco meanwhile appear nailed on for the last 32.
Key events
Ewan Murray’s report from the Boston Stadium has landed.
Onwards to Miami, for what promises to be quite the spectacle. The value in beating Haiti by a goal or only losing this by the same will all be apparent by full-time on Wednesday. The Tartan Army need calculators in hand.
Lewis Ferguson spoke to ITV: “I think we’re the worst possible start. We never wanted to start like that. We didn’t touch the ball. To be honest, and we give away such a slack goal. It was really unlike us. But I thought the reaction after that defensively really sounds, and we just grew out of the game, even in the first half, I felt we were probably beginning to grow towards the end, half time probably came at a bad time for us. But we were grown in the game, we were starting to feel really comfortable, and we spoke about that at halftime
“It just shows you how difficult it is to win a game at the World Cup. I’ve seen a lot of negative stuff about us winning against Haiti in the first game, and it’s baffled me to be honest, because it’s so, so difficult, every team is of a top level. Delighted with the response, but gutted about the result. I think, you know, the performance probably deserves a point.”
It was El Aynaoui whose challenge on McTominay looked a penalty. The Uzbek referee was not having it. We’re told the VAR who made that decision was the same who made the non-overrule on the Mbappe “penalty” against Senegal.
The group as it stands.
Scotland were far better in the second half, particularly when McTominay was thrust forward, if somewhat short of quality. Brazil’s game with Haiti in Philadelphia will give them an idea of what they require from their final group game.
Final score: Scotland 0-1 Morocco
It’s all on Brazil in Miami now for Scotland. They paid the price for an early lapse and will rue what looked a penalty in the second half. The dream is still alive. Morocco meanwhile appear nailed on for the last 32.
90+6 min: Morocco break at pace, Talbi finding El Aynaoui who smashes wide. Scotland have their chance as Dykes forces a corner. Such noise as Ferguson takes but it’s cleared and Ralston is penalised for a foul that draws the game to a close.
90+5 min: Not long now. Scotland go long. Morocco are decent in the air and deal well with Hanley’s pump into their area. Stewart found nobody with his flick.
90+4 min: Dykes scrapes the ball into the area after Hakimi loses the ball. Bouaddi, who has grown in influence, sweeps up.
90+3 min: Groans as Scotland concede the ball just as number were pouring forward. Gunn has to make a good save as Talbi, one of the subs. smashes in a shot.
90+2 min: To do that, Scotland need to get the ball in Morocco’s half. Their opponents are doing their best to run down the clock. It’s a long time since that early goal.
90 min: Six minutes added in which Scotland can either dazzle or disappoint.
89 min: El Mourabet comes on for Ounahi for a Morocco change.
88 min: All Scotland now. Gannon-Doak squirms across, and McTominay’s shot is smothered. He says he was being pulled. The Moroccan keeper, Bounou, is down. And booed. On will come Ralston for Patterson. McGinn goes off, and on comes Ross Stewart.
87 min: A McGinn burst to the byline and a fine cross. McTominay throws himself at the ball. Come on Scotland, this can happen.
86 min: From the following corner, Dykes heads wide. This is Scotland’s time. Morocco looked the more tired team.
85 min: So Scotland have injustice to inspire them now. And McTominay gets through and shoots, and as the ball billows off the side-netting some of the crowd think that’s in.
83 min: McTominay has been quiet but is now making an appearance, and his ball to Dykes finds the striker out of touch. That foul? It looks like a penalty. Christina Unkel, on ITV, thinks the ball was not touched and there was a foul. Ouch.
82 min: Was that the chance? Robertson finds McTominay in *his” position but the Napoli man falls to the floor. Was it a foul? On first glance, it seems not. Play continues on.
81 min: Moroccan changes imminent. Three of them to be made, late in the day, it has to be said.
79 min: Saibari breaks away, and the ball goes loose, and then McGinn and Hakimi clash. The referee has let much go. The stadium announcer reveals the attendance is a “full house”.
77 min: Dykes and Gannon-Doak link up for a glimmer. They get a second bite when McTominay plays the ball out to the winger. The Scotland fans find their voice.
76 min: The Scotland fans hold a minutes applause for the late Donny Strathie.
74 min: Tim Stappard: “I wish you wouldn’t normalise the third quarter stuff etc. it’s horrible.” It was a pointed joke…
73 min: Scotland still have a chance but still need to keep it tight. This would render theirs a 0 goal difference. Three points might be enough.
Here’s how it’s decided, according to Fifa, step one as follows:
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Number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned (head-to-head)
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Superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned (head-to-head)
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Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams
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concerned (head-to-head)
Step two
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Superior goal difference in all group matches
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Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
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Highest team conduct score (players and team officials) relating to the number of yellow and red cards obtained
Step three
71 min: Subs made: Dykes and McLean on, and off go Che Adams and Ryan Christie. The assistant ref was struggling with the number board.
70 min: Some changes to be made by Scotland? Bouaddi, the teenager, is deep in tactical conversation with his coach, Mohamed Ouahbi.
68 min: Diaz sets off on a run and Patterson steps across to thwack away, and that’s the last action of the third quarter. Right back after these messages…
66 min: Justin Kavanagh gets in touch: “Scotland are at least making a fight of it now, but they look a bit toothless up front. Where is Big Joe when you really need him?”
65 min: Again, Scotland must hope that Morocco continue to struggle to score goals. And keep their discipline. Robertson is booked for tripping Hakimi. There wasn’t much in that.
64 min: Christie at last finds space, set up by a combination of McGinn and McTominay but smashes wide.
63 min: Perhaps Findlay Curtis is the kid Tony Barr meant. He may yet make an appearance.
61 min: Tony Barr gets in touch: “We know Morocco are good. Let’s have some appreciation for the Scots. Ferguson is also a kid – and playing like a man in that midfield.”
Lewis Ferguson is 26, and playing against an 18-year-old in Bouaddi.
60 min: Gannon-Doak goes in front of Patterson with McGinn shoved inside, and on Hakimi watch. Scotland need a goal to book progress, let us recall.
59 min: Looks like a problem for Tierney, who goes down, and it looks as if Ben Gannon-Doak’s speed will be added. Tierney is done for the day. A reshuffle is asked of the Scotland team.
57 min: Scotland trying to get up in the grill of their opponents who have superior technique and movement. Hendry does well to not dive in on a twinkling Diaz. They need to keep their discipline.
55 min: Ferguson takes the ball of Hakimi and then Bouaddi, who has been quiet, smashes over the Scotland man. He’s 18, and some player.
54 min: Colin Livingstone gets in touch: “Not grumbling too much because 1-0 at HT after that start is a bit of a result – still, El Aynaoui had fully three yellow card offences in 45 minutes – really poor refereeing.
“Also, get Shankland and Doak on, and take the game on – bus parking on the few tournaments that we make is not what we are here for, what is even the point?”
They would be my choices.
53 min: Saibari again causing problems, Gunn claiming it as the ball comes loose, and gratefully so. Morocco stepping back up their first-half dominance, with Diaz flickering all over the place.
52 min: That’s the threat the Moroccans possess, Saibari in particular. Scotland beware. Hakimi’s corner is very good and El Khannous knocks goalward, Gunn saving.
51 min: Morocco hit the bar, Saibari sliding in, and his shot rattling off and out.
50 min: McGinn barrels through, goes over, and Scotland want a penalty. There’s a brief delay after El Aynaoui’s tackle. VAR chooses not to take any action. That’s that. It looked soft at best.
48 min: Robertson on the left begin a slow passing move, and ends with a cross that’s deflected for a throw. Tierney has to step deep off the field to launch a long throw that’s too easily cleared.
Back underway in Foxboro…
46 min: More rawk music closes out the break, as does a countdown and then Scotland kick for touch from the kickoff. They then attempt to press higher. No changes made, as yet. Ben Gannon-Doak seems an option.
Some reaction to earlier events in Seattle.
Colum Fordham has his say: “ One-sided this may have been and Morocco are technically on another planet but if Scotland show the resolve they’ve played with in the last ten minutes, they might be able to hang on and scrape a point. My favourite Scotland player Andy Robertson has hit a few decent through balls and one good cross.
“Here in Naples, the locals will be gunning for McTominay but he has barely seen the ball. Hopeful he’ll show a bit of his Napoli form in the second half. A shout out to my Scottish friend and diehard Scotland fan Alan.”
As does Kari Tulinius: “Morocco look better this time around than they did in Qatar, which probably means they’ll go out in the round of 32 to Sweden or Japan, because international football is silly like that. But if logic prevails, they’ll be a fearsome opponent to whoever’s in their quarter of the bracket. Bouaddi, El Aynaoui and Ounahi is a really strong midfield.”
Steven Grundy gets in touch: “Very difficult to fathom what Scotland’s plan is. We’re getting torn to shreds. Why is Gannon-Doak not playing? Also, why is McTominay anonymous again?
“Admittedly, we looked a bit better in the last 5 minutes of the second half. But Clarke needs a Tuchel-style team talk and to tell his team that, somehow, we still have a chance of getting something.”
And a gallery from this game, too.
Glory days, to quote a famous American on a huge day for the USMNT. Here’s the best pics.
Half-time: Scotland 0-1 Morocco
It could not have started worse for Scotland and it could have been worse. Morocco played some delightful stuff. And yet the half ends with a Scottish mini-revival that will need to be repeated in the second half.
45+4 min: Morocco the team awaiting the break now? Their earlier dominance has abated, that’s for sure.