Scotland vs. Morocco
Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Friday, June 19th, 6 p.m. ET
A nervy 1-0 win over Haiti sees Scotland sit top of Group C ahead of the second round of group games. A Morocco side that is ranked the 7th best in the World by FIFA will represent a big step up in class, a fact underlined by the 1-1 tie with Brazil in their opener.
From a betting perspective, the strongest angle is Scotland Under 0.5 Goals, which is effectively the same position as backing Morocco to keep a clean sheet. Odds of +110 look far too big.
Although the Tartan Army got the result they needed against Haiti, the performance was far from convincing. Their solitary goal was a heavily deflected effort from John McGinn, and spent long periods under pressure by opponents ranked 78 places below the ones they face here.
Scotland created little from open play and appeared increasingly happy to protect their lead rather than chase a second goal. Now they face a Morocco defense that successfully frustrated Brazil for large portions of its opener, only conceding what was a wonder strike from Vinícius Júnior.
Morocco was, in my opinion, the better side in the first half, deservedly took the lead through Ismael Saibari, and showed the same tactical discipline that has become their trademark on the international stage. They play with a compact shape, have an athletic back line, and can limit quality chances, making them a really tough team to break down.
Game state also favors the wager. Scotland already has three points and knows a tie would put them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages heading into a final match against Brazil.
Expect Steve Clarke to prioritize defensive organization over attacking ambition. I see this game being low on chances, with Morocco having a lot of the ball while Scotland sits deep and keeps compact.
World Cup Best Bet: Scotland vs Morocco – Scotland Under 0.5 goals +110
