Foxborough, June 20 (IANS) Morocco underlined their growing World Cup credentials with a commanding 1-0 victory over Scotland on Friday, as Ismael Saibari’s strike after just 71 seconds proved enough to send the North Africans to the top of Group C.

The surprise semi-finalists of four years ago thrashed the Scots, imposing themselves from the start, pressing high up the pitch and dictating terms throughout. Morocco’s opener by Saibari – the fastest goal of the tournament to date – settled any nerves and set up a performance in which the Scots were often trailing in their opponents’ wake.

With four points from two games, Morocco top Group C with just a single fixture against Haiti to play in two days time. Scotland sit on three points and face an intimidating task against five-time champions Brazil in their final group match, knowing only the top two finishers in each of the eight groups, along with the eight best third-placed nations, are guaranteed a place in the knockout stage.

Scotland had travelled full of optimism after snatching a first World Cup victory in 36 years via a 1-0 success against Haiti, but all that was gone within 71 seconds. With Scotland skipper Grant Hanley out of position, a quick pass from Brahim Diaz bypassed the Scotland backline and a run from Saibari in behind was expertly met and finished.

It was the midfielder’s second strike of the tournament having also netted in the opening 1-1 draw with Brazil. Saibari, who reportedly underwent a medical ahead of a move to Bayern Munich, is only the second African to net in each of his first two World Cup appearances, the other being Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.

Morocco were close to adding a second soon afterwards, with a tantalizing cross from Azzedine Ounahi from the left not quite met by a Moroccan striker in the 6-yard box. However, that would not have done justice to the territorial control Morocco exerted, as it continued unabated, and the Moroccans’ dominance was such that the half could nearly have passed with no Scottish input to the game at all.

An excellent run down the left by Hakim was stopped only as Hanley intercepted the forward pass, while Achraf Hakimi, who had been booed from some sections of the Scottish support in relation to personal issues off the field, was commanding. A pre-match assertion from Ounahi that Morocco was targeting a final place looked to have some foundation, with the Scottish midfield non-existent and play almost exclusively at their end of the pitch.

The first recorded shot for the Scots came only in injury-time, a weak effort over from Lyndon Dykes as Morocco repeated their exploits from just after the break, a sweeping move culminating in El Khannouss’ header only turned round the post by Angus Gunn. Scotland threatened after the break when Saibari brought the woodwork back into the equation, a deflected effort pinging out off the post as the Scots appeared destined for an ever-growing deficit.

Ultimately, a second goal never arrived for Morocco but they defended sternly as Scotland pushed forward belatedly for a equaliser in the closing moments, without producing a significant threat.

–IANS

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