Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi stressed the importance of securing three points against Scotland as the Atlas Lions prepare for their second Group C match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup tomorrow in Boston.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Ouahbi acknowledged that Scotland enters the game with an advantage after collecting three points, while Morocco earned one point from a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brazil.
“We have one point and they have three. They are ahead of us and we have to do our best. It will be a hard match,” Ouahbi said.
The Moroccan coach said the draw against Brazil gave his side confidence, but insisted that the tournament is far from over and that the team must continue to improve.
“We do not want to keep the same performance we had against Brazil. We want to improve. Every match is difficult in its own way. Internationally, there are no small teams, and our match against Brazil is not an end in itself,” he explained.
Morocco players prepared and ready
Ouahbi highlighted the differences between Brazil and Scotland, noting that tomorrow’s encounter will require a different approach.
“The Brazil match was tactical, tomorrow’s clash will be physical. The match against Scotland will be different because they are quick with the ball and have strong shoots. We have prepared the players to be ready,” he said.
Despite criticism following Vinícius Júnior’s equalizer in the opening match, Ouahbi dismissed concerns over Morocco’s defense.
“Tomorrow’s match will be different. We have a very good defence and we are very confident. Everyone is doing his best in this regard, so I do not think we have problems in defence.”
He also emphasized that Morocco will remain faithful to its style of play.
“We will keep our identity and our way of playing. We want to dominate the rhythm of the game and control the intensity.”
With one point from the opening game, Morocco knows that victory over Scotland would put the Atlas Lions in a strong position to qualify for the round of 32 and continue the progress made since their historic semifinal run at the 2022 World Cup.
