Morocco Make Unprecedented World Cup History; Become First African Team To...

Last Updated:June 20, 2026, 12:10 IST

Morocco beat Scotland 1-0 thanks to an early Ismael Saibari goal, setting a new African World Cup record with six straight unbeaten group-stage matches.

Morocco have just scripted unprecedented history.

The Atlas Lions etched their name into the World Cup record books with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Scotland in their Group C clash, extending an impressive unbeaten run and strengthening their chances of topping the group.

The decisive moment arrived almost immediately. Ismael Saibari struck in just the second minute, giving Morocco the perfect start and ultimately providing the winning goal in a tightly contested encounter.

After taking the early lead, the Atlas Lions controlled much of the match and looked comfortable for long periods. Scotland pushed forward in the closing stages and applied significant pressure in search of an equaliser, but Morocco’s defence stood firm to secure all three points.

The result continued Morocco’s remarkable record against European opposition in World Cup group-stage matches. The North Africans have now lost just one of their last seven group-stage games against European nations, with that sole defeat coming against Portugal at the 2018 World Cup.

More significantly, the victory created a new piece of World Cup history.

Morocco’s Historic Streak

Morocco are now unbeaten in their last six World Cup group-stage matches, the longest such run ever achieved by an African nation.

They surpassed the previous benchmark of five unbeaten group games jointly held by Cameroon, whose streak ran from 1982 to 1990, and Senegal, who achieved the feat between 2002 and 2018.

The win also preserved Morocco’s perfect record against Scotland on football’s biggest stage. The two sides had met only once before at a World Cup, when Morocco recorded a convincing 3-0 victory in France in 1998.

With qualification now firmly within reach, Morocco will shift their focus to their final Group C fixture against Haiti. A victory there could secure top spot in the group and provide valuable momentum heading into the knockout rounds.

About the Author

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

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