Scotland's World Cup dreams were brought crashing down in spectacular fashion as they suffered an early blow against Morocco in Boston. A blistering start from the Moroccans, spearheaded by Ismael Saibari's lightning-quick strike after just 71 seconds, left Scotland reeling and forced them to play catch-up for the remainder of the match.
The solitary goal proved to be the deciding factor, as Scotland struggled to find a foothold in the game despite their best efforts. The result leaves the Scottish camp facing an uphill battle from the outset, with zero points on the board after just one match and a long road ahead if they're to make any sort of impression in Group C.
Manager John McGinn was left fuming by several key decisions that went against his team during the encounter. While he stopped short of specifics, it's clear the Scots felt hard done by at times – a sentiment shared by many an international coach after a narrow defeat in a high-pressure tournament like the World Cup.
Momentum swung wildly in Boston on Tuesday evening, as other teams took to the stage with varying degrees of success. The Netherlands' dominant display against Sweden secured their spot in the last-32 with ease, while Germany showed remarkable resilience to come from behind and snatch victory over Ivory Coast – a timely reminder that fortune favours the brave at this level.
Now Scotland must regroup and refocus for what promises to be a gruelling group stage. Their attention will shift sharply towards their next opponents, as they seek to salvage some pride and kick-start their World Cup campaign in earnest.
The task won't get any easier – far from it. But with the margin for error about to shrink further by the matchday, Scotland must steel themselves for a marathon of a tournament if they're to have any hope of emerging victorious in Group C.