Scotland vs Morocco — Prediction

Morocco showed in their 1-1 draw with Brazil — Saïbari finishing a Brahim Díaz pass — that they belong among the tournament's better sides, and across the pitch they outrank a Scotland team that beat Haiti 1-0 through a single McGinn goal but created little. The deciding factor is Morocco's superior ball quality through Hakimi and Brahim against an organised but blunt Scottish attack. The risk is real: Scotland are disciplined and hard to break down, Morocco are without the injured Ezzalzouli and Aguerd, and Gillette could host the cagey, low-event game Scotland want. A narrow Morocco win, but a draw is very much in range.

Morocco's strength is ball quality through Hakimi's overlaps and Brahim Díaz between the lines, against a Scotland side that defends in a disciplined block but offered little going forward in beating Haiti 1-0. That points to a low-event game Morocco eventually edge rather than control from the front.

At 67 this is a lean, not a strong call: Scotland's organisation, Morocco's absentees in Ezzalzouli and Aguerd, and the cagey nature of a points-needed matchday-two game keep a draw firmly in range — hence the under 2.5 framing and a narrow 0-1 score.