Scotland and Morocco meet in a fascinating Group C encounter on Friday night with both nations targeting a place in the World Cup knockout stages.
After Brazil were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by Haiti in the group’s opening fixture, the stakes have risen dramatically. Victory here would put either Scotland or Morocco in a strong position to challenge for qualification, while defeat could leave them with significant work to do heading into the final round of matches.
Scotland arrive at the tournament in confident mood after a convincing 4-1 victory over Curaçao in their final warm-up match and have continued to show the resilience that has become a trademark under Steve Clarke. Led by captain Andy Robertson and midfield talisman Scott McTominay, the Scots possess a blend of physicality and organisation that makes them difficult opponents.
Morocco, meanwhile, earned one of the most impressive results of the opening round after holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw. The Atlas Lions once again demonstrated why they have become one of the most respected international sides in world football, frustrating one of the tournament favourites while carrying a threat of their own on the counter-attack.
With stars such as Achraf Hakimi, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Youssef En-Nesyri in their ranks, Morocco arguably possess the greater technical quality, but Scotland have built a reputation for thriving when written off.
Both Teams To Score
This looks like a game where both sides should create opportunities.
Scotland have scored in eight of their last 10 internationals and carry a major goal threat through McTominay, who has developed a remarkable scoring record for his country. Morocco, meanwhile, found the net against Brazil and have consistently troubled elite opposition over the past few years.
Neither side is likely to settle for a draw given the group situation, which should lead to an open and competitive contest.
With attacking quality on both sides, backing both teams to score looks like one of the standout selections.
Scott McTominay Anytime Goalscorer
Few midfielders in international football have been as productive in front of goal as Scott McTominay over the last two years.
The Scotland star has become his country’s most reliable goalscoring outlet, regularly arriving late into the penalty area and proving a major threat from set-pieces. His physical presence could be particularly important against a Morocco side that defends aggressively but can occasionally be vulnerable from crosses and dead-ball situations.
If Scotland are to secure a positive result, McTominay is likely to be at the heart of it.
Score Prediction: Scotland 1-1 Morocco
