The two strongest sides inside Group C have taken their respective places at the top of the standings as the second round of group matches drew to a close.
Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0 on Friday to move onto four points and sit second in Group C, behind Brazil only on goal difference after the Selecao’s comfortable 3-0 victory over Haiti later in the evening.
After two rounds, Brazil and Morocco both have four points, Scotland remain on three points following their opening victory over Haiti, while the Caribbean side are mathematically eliminated after suffering consecutive defeats.
The Atlas Lions have arguably been the most impressive side in the group. They opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brazil before producing a dominant display against Scotland, where Ismael Saibari scored after just 71 seconds.
Morocco controlled possession, completed over 600 passes and rarely looked troubled as they took a giant step toward the round of 32.
The final round of fixtures on June 24 will see Morocco take on Haiti in Atlanta, while Brazil face Scotland in Miami. Both matches kick off simultaneously.
For Morocco, a victory over Haiti would guarantee qualification and could even secure top spot if Brazil fail to beat Scotland.
A draw would likely be enough to progress, while even a defeat may still leave them in contention depending on the outcome of the other match and the race for the best third-placed teams.
Brazil are also in a strong position. Carlo Ancelotti’s men need only avoid defeat against Scotland to book their place in the knockout stages. A win would guarantee progression and could secure first place in the group.
Scotland, meanwhile, still control much of their own destiny. A win over Brazil would almost certainly send them through and could even see them top the group depending on Morocco’s result.
Even if they finish third, the expanded 48-team format means they could still qualify as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed nations.
With Brazil and Morocco leading the way, Group C is shaping up exactly as many predicted before the tournament. But with qualification, first place and knockout seeding still on the line, the final round promises plenty of drama.
