Doug Stratton reached out to share his thoughts.
“That Joe Jordan quote in the shirts (21:57) has got me in bits. 1978 was my first World Cup, and I genuinely believed – briefly- that Scotland would always be there, and always be competitive. Just the thought, now, that we might make it out of the group stage, at last, almost fifty years later…. Ach, I’m done.”
Kieron O’Hara echoed similar sentiments.
“As you correctly pointed out in your blog, Scotland have never exited the group stage via the front door so it would be historic if they managed it now. However, I’m not sure anyone has yet pointed out that, if the finals of the 1970s had been run on the same group tiebreak rules as 2026, Scotland would have qualified in 1974 and 1978, in 1974 at the expense of Brazil, and in 1978 putting out the Netherlands.”
Team USA continues its impressive run. Here’s the latest report from Alexander Abnos in Seattle.
“I didn’t think what he said was that bad! He followed it up with something complimentary. “He was right. I actually think the amount of games that I’m looking at a pub player is becoming less and less as I get older. “I try and not have as many games like that and be more consistent. I don’t think it was too bad. People were saying: ‘Did you see what he said? I just thought it was quite nice that they were talking about me! “We’ve got nothing to fear going into these games. All the pressure is going to be on Morocco. All the pressure is going to be on Brazil. What we’ve realised now with the players going and playing abroad and playing at the highest level is a lot of it is about belief. “If you think we’ve got to play Morocco and Brazil, two teams in the top ten in the world, we’re beat before you’ve started. I think the last few days have shown that this World Cup, anything’s possible. Hopefully we can probably surprise Morocco – but that won’t be a surprise to ourselves if we go and get three points on Friday.”
This week, Roy Keane commented on John McGinn’s performance, suggesting he sometimes looks like a pub player. McGinn took those remarks in stride while speaking to ITV:
“Thanks for the Joe Jordan pic and quote John, which has really cheered me up. I spent half the day (my birthday) in the dental chair having knocked out a tooth (don’t ask!). Big Joe was one of the great heroes of my youth; that quote is magical and looking in the mirror now doesn’t feel quite so devastating.”
Justin Kavanagh also chimed in.
“D’you think there’s a lot of ‘we mustn’t underestimate the Scots’ doing the rounds on the Moroccan TV pre-game chat, or is that peculiar to English pundits when your lot are up against lower opposition?”
Morocco, Scotland’s opponents at the France 1998 World Cup, are back on the stage after 28 years. Here are the starting lineups from Saint-Etienne.
Scotland: Jim Leighton; Jackie McNamara, Colin Hendry, David Weir, Tommy Boyd; Craig Burley, Paul Lambert, John Collins, Christian Dailly; Gordon Durie, Kevin Gallacher.
Morocco: Driss Benzekri; Abdelilah Saber, Lahcen Abrami, Noureddine Naybet; El Moustafa Hadji, Smahi Triki, Gharib Amzine, Youssef Chippo, Tahar El Khalej; Abdeljilil Hadda, Salaheddine Bassir.
Scotland appears to be lining up in a 5-4-1 or perhaps a 4-5-1 formation, while Morocco is set to continue with a 4-2-3-1 setup.
Ally McCoist, who netted the decisive goal for Scotland against Switzerland at Euro 96, was seen at the media center in Boston wearing a vintage team strip from that era. Scotland was narrowly denied a place in the knockout stage of that tournament due to goal difference, a sore point for Scottish fans who recall how David Seaman let a Patrick Kluivert shot slip through his legs during England’s match against the Netherlands.
This situation feels reminiscent of 1996 for Scotland. A tight victory over Haiti leaves Steve Clarke’s squad with a glimmer of hope for advancing based on goal difference. Securing at least a point from this encounter against Morocco, a team considered strong contenders, would ease that anxiety. Morocco holds the mantle of favorites, and Scotland must strive to prove the cliché that they thrive as underdogs. A daunting challenge indeed.
Three modifications have been made to Scotland’s lineup: Kieran Tierney, Nathan Patterson, and Ryan Christie will start, with Aaron Hickey, Ben Gannon-Doak, and Lawrence Shankland on the bench, indicating a potential tactical shift. Morocco remains unchanged from their match against Brazil.
Scotland: Gunn, Hanley, Hendry, Tierney, Patterson, McTominay, Ferguson, Robertson, McGinn, Christie, Adams. Subs: Kelly, Gordon, Hickey, Fletcher, Dykes, Stewart, Souttar, Hyam, Doak, Hirst, Shankland, McLean, Ralston, Curtis, McKenna.
Morocco: Bounou, Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui, El Aynaoui, Bouaddi, Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannous, Saibari. Subs: Mohamedi, Tagnaouti, Amrabat, Saadane, Talbi, Rahimi, El Ouahdi, El Mourabet, Yassine, Sbai, Belammari, El Kaabi, Amaimouni-Echghouyab, Halhal, Saleh-Eddine.
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev from Uzbekistan.
With Team USA enjoying a solid victory over Australia, it seems all three host nations might progress. Unlike in 2010 and 2022, when the hosts failed to advance from their groups, this time it could be beneficial for business, right? A well-written piece by the talented Joe Callaghan adds to the excitement.
“We are under no illusion about the size of the task. I feel Morocco are a really, really good side. They reached the last four of the last World Cup and I have a feeling this Morocco team is slightly better than that, so that gives you an idea of the task ahead. They have power, they have pace, they have little bits of skill that can open up a game. For me they are the real deal, a top side. We will have to be at our very best to compete. “It is a big challenge for us. We give them a lot of respect. We expect they will probably have more of the ball, more possession. We have to make sure that when we have the ball we can be a threat to Morocco.”
Tony Barr posed an interesting question: “Do you think there’s a lot of ‘we mustn’t underestimate the Scots’ circulating on Moroccan TV pre-game, or is that peculiar to English pundits when your lot are up against lower opposition?” Either way, I like to think the Moroccan Alan Shearer (Hamdallah?) is telling someone right now that Scotland ‘iinahum laysuu ‘aghbia.’”
Weather update: it’s a mild 26 degrees in Foxboro, with some clouds in the sky, which is nothing compared to what counts as a heatwave in Largs.
The transfer market is buzzing, and Ayyoub Bouaddi has been linked with numerous clubs following his impressive performance against Brazil. Currently a Lille player, his departure seems imminent as the window closes.
“Ouahbi was referring to Bouaddi’s performance in a 1-0 victory against Ancelotti’s Madrid in October 2024, which ended with Lille’s supporters singing happy birthday to him on the pitch. That performance has caught the eye of every major club in Europe. Arsenal are reportedly in preliminary talks to secure a player valued at around £70m by Lille; Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also expressed interest, while Liverpool had scouts observing him last Saturday.”
Against Brazil, Morocco’s fans were notably louder, which promises to create a memorable atmosphere in Foxboro.
Steve Clarke has a realistic view of the challenge that lies ahead against Morocco.
“We are under no illusion about the size of the task. I feel Morocco are a really, really good side. They reached the last four of the last World Cup, and I have a feeling this Morocco team is slightly better than that, so that gives you an idea of the task ahead. They have power, they have pace, and they possess skills that can open up a game. For me, they are the real deal, a top side. We will have to be at our very best to compete. It is a significant challenge for us. We give them a lot of respect. We expect they will probably have more of the ball and more possession. We must ensure that when we have the ball, we can threaten Morocco.”
Scott McTominay may not have performed at his best against Haiti, but he remains a crucial player for his team.
“You need only walk in the vicinity of Hampden Park to learn of McTominay’s standing as a Scotland player. Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law have never been depicted on portraits on the gable end of terraced flats close to the national stadium. McTominay, a player born in England, produced such an iconic moment against Denmark last November that it will remain a significant reference point for years to come.”
Paul MacInnes has been mingling with Scotland’s supporters.
“Just 10 days since they first began arriving in New England, Scotland fans have managed to charm yet another nation. Carrying a letter of support from FC Cologne, the last place to fall for the Scots two years ago, they have captivated, entertained, and intrigued locals in Boston and beyond. The antics of the Scottish fans, their introduction to tailgating, and their dancing at baseball games have seemingly become an American pastime, with clips shared widely across social media.”
The Tartan Army has been making friends in Boston, celebrating their first win since 1990 after defeating Haiti on Saturday. The Concacaf team did not resemble the Iran of 1978 or the Costa Rica of 1990. Nevertheless, Scotland’s performance was not particularly convincing, and nerves were palpable throughout the match. Will John McGinn’s deflected goal serve as the pinnacle? Now, they face a formidable challenge against the African champions, Morocco, a side that outperformed in their opening match against Brazil. If the qualification equation requires four points, then a draw here would be beneficial. Exiting the group stage through the front door for the first time is within Scotland’s reach. Is it on? That’s what remains to be seen.
Kick-off is set for 6pm ET/11pm UK time/8am AEST. Join me.
