Morocco scores fastest World Cup goal, defeats Scotland 1-0

Morocco secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Scotland in the FIFA 2026 World Cup, with Ismael Saibari netting the fastest goal of the tournament so far in just the second minute. This early strike not only gave Morocco the lead but also set a new record for the fastest World Cup goal in the nation's history.

Saibari's impressive finish, described as a dream moment by the player himself, has propelled him into the record books. He is now the second African footballer to score in his team's opening two World Cup matches, a feat previously achieved by Egypt's Mohamed Salah in 2018. The Atlas Lions continued to press, hitting the crossbar in the second half, and managed to withstand a late surge from the Scottish team.

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This is the best moment of my career. It was my dream to play in the World Cup with my country's team. I managed to achieve it and score two goals for my country. I am very happy. But the most important thing is to get past the group stage and go as far as possible.

Scotland's coach, Steve Clarke, acknowledged the impact of the early goal, noting his team's struggle to recover. "We held on, we came back into the game and started playing the ball a bit better," Clarke stated, expressing pride in his players despite the disappointment of not achieving the desired result. Meanwhile, Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0 in the same group, setting the stage for further developments in Group C.

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Perhaps after Morocco's goal, it took us about 10 minutes to get back into the game, because, obviously, after such a blow, it is very difficult to recover quickly. We held on, we came back into the game and started playing the ball a bit better. I am proud of my players, but of course, we are all crushed and disappointed that we did not achieve the desired result.