CAF President Applauds Morocco's Victory Over Scotland
CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has publicly congratulated the Atlas Lions of Morocco following their 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage victory over Scotland. The match, played at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, saw Morocco secure a crucial win that boosted their chances of advancing to the knockout stages.
This marks the first time Motsepe has praised an African team after a win at the 2026 World Cup, despite other African nations having already recorded victories earlier in the tournament.
Ismael Saibari Shines Again for Morocco
Bayern Munich-bound midfielder Ismael Saibari continued his impressive form, scoring the fastest goal of the tournament so far in the 70th second. However, his record was short-lived as Paraguay's Matias Galarza scored even quicker—in the 64th second—to eliminate Turkiye from the competition.
Morocco's win moved them to the top of their group temporarily, but Brazil later displaced them after a 3-0 victory over Haiti. Morocco will face Haiti in their final group game, needing a positive result to secure qualification.
Motsepe's Message of Support
In a post on his official Instagram page, Motsepe shared a video featuring himself, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa at the stadium. He wrote: "Congratulations to Morocco for their win against Scotland. The FIFA World Cup 2026 has been exciting and African teams continue to make us proud."
This public endorsement from the CAF President highlights the growing recognition of African teams' performances on the global stage.
Coach Ouahbi Promises Further Improvement
Moroccan head coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed satisfaction with his team's performance against Scotland, noting that they controlled the match and imposed their style of play. "We controlled the match and imposed our style of play, and I am very satisfied because I saw much better intent than in the first game," Ouahbi told FIFA. "We were more active inside the opponent's penalty area and had a clear desire to score more goals, but we just lacked that final touch."
Ouahbi acknowledged improvements from their 1-1 draw against Brazil and promised further progress in the upcoming match against Haiti. "I can see that we have improved compared to the first match, which is why I believe we will be even better in the third game. The most important thing is securing the victory and continuing to grow from one match to the next," he added.
Morocco's World Cup Journey So Far
Morocco's campaign began with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brazil, where Vinicius Jr's curler canceled out Saibari's chip over Alisson Becker. The Atlas Lions have shown resilience and tactical discipline under Ouahbi's guidance, building on their historic run to the semifinals in 2022.
As the tournament progresses, Morocco aims to become the first African nation to reach the World Cup final. Their final group stage match against Haiti will be decisive in determining their fate.
