{"id":353930,"date":"2026-06-20T22:53:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T17:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=353930"},"modified":"2026-06-20T22:53:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T17:23:19","slug":"ismael-saibari-lifts-morocco-over-scotland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/06\/20\/ismael-saibari-lifts-morocco-over-scotland\/","title":{"rendered":"Ismael Saibari lifts Morocco over Scotland"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"FOR_target_content\">\n<div id=\"attachment_682826\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-682826\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Morocco\u2019s Ismael Saibari, gestures to the gang as he celebrates on the pitch after the top of the in the course of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts\u2014 It took Ismael Saibari only 21 minutes to attain a goal for Morocco in his World Cup debut.<\/p>\n<p>Barely a minute was enough time for him to get on the scoreboard in his second outing.<\/p>\n<div id=\"billboard_article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i id=\"art_cont\" style=\"color:#85A7BF;\">Article continues after this commercial<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Saibari drilled a shot into the highest corner of the online a mere 72 seconds into Friday\u2019s 1-0 win over Scotland at Gillette Stadium, keeping alive Morocco\u2019s possibilities of advancing to its second straight World Cup knockout round.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wanted three points and we got them,\u201d Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said.<\/p>\n<p>Morocco\u2019s ball movement caught Scotland on its heels on the very start.<\/p>\n<p>Saibari slipped behind two Scotland defenders and Brahim Diaz dropped the ball excessive to him. The 25-year-old forward gathered and blasted it into the highest left corner, well outside the reach of goalkeeper Angus Gunn.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ztoop\">\n<i id=\"art_cont\" style=\"color:#85A7BF;\">Article continues after this commercial<\/i>\t\t  <\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_682827\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-682827\" class=\"size-full wp-image-682827\" src=\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Morocco's Ismael Saibari, top right, scores his side's opening goal during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. \" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-342x227.jpg 342w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26170796488344-150x99.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-682827\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Morocco\u2019s Ismael Saibari, top right, scores his side\u2019s opening goal in the course of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Morocco, which reached the semifinals on the last World Cup in Qatar, drew 1-1 with Brazil in its Group C opener with Saibari scoring the lone goal. Scotland, which hasn\u2019t gotten out of the group stage in its eight previous World Cup appearances, beat Haiti 1-0 in its first match.<\/p>\n<p>Scotland was outshot 12-6 on Friday, struggling to get clear looks against Morocco\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n<p>The negative result didn\u2019t affect Scotland coach Steve Clarke\u2019s confidence in his team.<\/p>\n<div id=\"billboard_article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i id=\"art_cont\" style=\"color:#85A7BF;\">Article continues after this commercial<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe gave them a game,\u201d Clarke said. \u201cWe\u2019re sure we are able to compete at this level.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Morocco nearly scored one other within the 52nd minute when a header by Bilal El Khannouss off Achraf Hakimi\u2019s corner kick was battled down by Gunn.<\/p>\n<p>Scotland had a probability in first-half stoppage time when Andy Robertson sent a cross at John McGinn, who couldn\u2019t get a foot on it near the back post.<\/p>\n<p>As Scotland pressed for an equalizing goal within the closing minutes, Morocco had a pair of fine probabilities so as to add to their lead, but each missed the goal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI assumed the performance didn\u2019t match the result, if I\u2019m honest,\u201d Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson said. \u201cWe took the sport to them. So there are positives from each games that actually we are able to take into this last game.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"sib-form\" style=\"text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff;\" id=\"nl_article_content\">\n<div id=\"sib-form-container-bc\" class=\"sib-form-container-bc\">\n<div id=\"error-message\" class=\"sib-form-message-panel\" style=\"font-size:16px; text-align:left; font-family:\" helvetica=\"\" sans-serif=\"\" color:=\"\" background-color:=\"\" border-radius:3px=\"\" border-color:=\"\">\n<div class=\"sib-form-message-panel__text sib-form-message-panel__text--center\">\n        <svg viewbox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"sib-icon sib-notification__icon\">\n          <path d=\"M256 40c118.621 0 216 96.075 216 216 0 119.291-96.61 216-216 216-119.244 0-216-96.562-216-216 0-119.203 96.602-216 216-216m0-32C119.043 8 8 119.083 8 256c0 136.997 111.043 248 248 248s248-111.003 248-248C504 119.083 392.957 8 256 8zm-11.49 120h22.979c6.823 0 12.274 5.682 11.99 12.5l-7 168c-.268 6.428-5.556 11.5-11.99 11.5h-8.979c-6.433 0-11.722-5.073-11.99-11.5l-7-168c-.283-6.818 5.167-12.5 11.99-12.5zM256 340c-15.464 0-28 12.536-28 28s12.536 28 28 28 28-12.536 28-28-12.536-28-28-28z\"><\/path>\n        <\/svg><br \/>\n        <span class=\"sib-form-message-panel__inner-text\"><br \/>\n                          Your subscription couldn&#8217;t be saved. Please try again.<br \/>\n                      <\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"success-message\" class=\"sib-form-message-panel\" style=\"font-size:16px; text-align:left; font-family:\" helvetica=\"\" sans-serif=\"\" color:=\"\" background-color:=\"\" border-radius:3px=\"\" border-color:=\"\">\n<div class=\"sib-form-message-panel__text sib-form-message-panel__text--center\">\n        <svg viewbox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"sib-icon sib-notification__icon\">\n          <path d=\"M256 8C119.033 8 8 119.033 8 256s111.033 248 248 248 248-111.033 248-248S392.967 8 256 8zm0 464c-118.664 0-216-96.055-216-216 0-118.663 96.055-216 216-216 118.664 0 216 96.055 216 216 0 118.663-96.055 216-216 216zm141.63-274.961L217.15 376.071c-4.705 4.667-12.303 4.637-16.97-.068l-85.878-86.572c-4.667-4.705-4.637-12.303.068-16.97l8.52-8.451c4.705-4.667 12.303-4.637 16.97.068l68.976 69.533 163.441-162.13c4.705-4.667 12.303-4.637 16.97.068l8.451 8.52c4.668 4.705 4.637 12.303-.068 16.97z\"><\/path>\n        <\/svg><br \/>\n        <span class=\"sib-form-message-panel__inner-text\"><br \/>\n                          Your subscription has been successful.<br \/>\n                      <\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Scotland will face Brazil in its final Group C match on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Morocco will tackle Haiti at the identical time in Atlanta.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Morocco\u2019s Ismael Saibari, gestures to the gang as he celebrates on the pitch after the top of the in the course of the World Cup Group C soccer match between Scotland and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa) FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts\u2014 It took Ismael Saibari only 21 minutes to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":353931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20686],"tags":[25402,17163,4626,53041,5450],"class_list":["post-353930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-ismael","tag-lifts","tag-morocco","tag-saibari","tag-scotland"],"aioseo_notices":[{"message":"The permalink for this post just changed! 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