Scotland pulled off a major upset by defeating Morocco 2-1 in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup on Sunday. The result shocked many as Morocco had been considered favorites after their strong performance in the previous tournament.
Scotland's historic victory
John McGinn opened the scoring for Scotland in the 23rd minute, slotting home from close range after a corner. Morocco equalized through Hakim Ziyech's free kick just before halftime. However, Scotland's Scott McTominay scored the winner in the 67th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box.
"This is a massive result for us," said Scotland manager Steve Clarke. "The players showed incredible belief and determination. We knew Morocco were strong, but we stuck to our game plan and got the reward."
USA dominate Australia
In another group match, the United States cruised to a 3-0 victory over Australia. Christian Pulisic opened the scoring in the 12th minute, followed by goals from Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi. The USA controlled possession throughout, limiting Australia to few chances.
"We executed our game plan perfectly," said US coach Gregg Berhalter. "The team was focused from the first whistle, and we created plenty of opportunities."
Netherlands, Germany, Sweden also win
The Netherlands beat Sweden 2-1 in a tightly contested match. Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo scored for the Dutch, while Sweden's goal came from Alexander Isak. Germany defeated Côte d'Ivoire 3-0, with Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, and Niclas Füllkrug on the scoresheet.
Ecuador secured a 2-0 win over Curacao, with goals from Enner Valencia and Moisés Caicedo. Tunisia and Japan played out a 1-1 draw, with both teams creating several chances but unable to find a winner.
Group standings and implications
The results leave Group A wide open, with Scotland and USA both on three points. Morocco and Australia will need to bounce back in their next matches. In Group B, the Netherlands and Germany lead with three points each, while Sweden and Côte d'Ivoire face an uphill battle.
"We have to learn from this defeat and come back stronger," said Morocco coach Walid Regragui. "There are still two matches left, and we believe we can qualify."
The World Cup continues with more group stage matches scheduled over the next few days. Teams will be looking to secure their places in the knockout rounds.
