By Karolos Grohmann
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts, June 19 (Reuters) - Morocco outmuscled Scotland for a 1-0 win thanks to the tournament's fastest goal on Friday, taking control of Group C in the World Cup and moving into top spot with one match left to play.
The North Africans, surprise semi-finalists in Qatar four years ago, were in complete control throughout despite the deceptive scoreline, bullying the Scots into submission and scoring the winner with Ismael Saibari after 71 seconds of play.
Morocco
now have four points from their two matches and will next play Haiti on Wednesday. Scotland, with three points from two games, face five-time champions Brazil on the last matchday. Brazil and Haiti face each other later on Friday.
The top two teams of each group win automatic qualification for the round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams.
The Scots were brimming with confidence after their scrappy 1-0 opening win over Haiti for their first World Cup victory in 36 years but were quickly brought down to earth.
The Moroccans needed less than two minutes to open their account with Ismael Saibari slipping in behind the defence to latch on to a Brahim Diaz cross as central defender Grant Hanley stepped out too early, and he powered in his shot for the earliest goal in this World Cup.
Saibari, who scored in their 1-1 draw against Brazil last week and has reportedly passed a medical to join German champions Bayern Munich, became only the second African player to score in his first two appearances at the World Cup, after Egypt's Mohamed Salah.
The Moroccans, who saw captain Achraf Hakimi booed by Scottish fans with the player facing a rape trial, came agonisingly close to a second goal when Azzedine Ounahi charged down the left, cut the ball back but a pair of Moroccan players narrowly failed to connect in front of goal.
Ounahi had raised eyebrows a day earlier, saying his team were aiming to reach the final, but they showed they mean business in this tournament as the Scots failed to get a single shot on or off target until deep in first-half stoppage time.
Instead they had to play constant catch-up with Moroccans pressing, winning possession and breaking through seemingly at will, with Bilal El Khannouss firing over the bar in the 36th minute after yet another superb move.
It was one-way traffic after the break with Saibari hitting the post with a deflected effort and El Khannouss forcing a good save by goalkeeper Angus Gunn with a glancing header minutes after the restart.
Scotland tried to pile on the pressure late in the game but despite some chances, could not carve out an equaliser.
(Writing by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Christian Radnedge)
