Can Scotland turn World Cup party into knockout ru...

BOSTON, Mass -- Scotland have left their mark on this part of the U.S. There are heart-warming stories wherever you look. Such has been the Tartan Army's impact in Boston, the Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, signed an [un]official executive order to legalise Scottish delicacy haggis in the state. The Tartan Army has donated to charity: some $30,000 to causes in Providence, and their latest contribution $1,200 to a Boston children's organisation. Further south in New York, one fan taught a group of nuns to sing "No Scotland, No Party." But to truly leave their mark on this World Cup, Scotland need to secure that historic place in the knockout rounds.. Morocco and Brazil stand between Scotland and progression. They're effectively a point from destiny in this newly-expanded model, but they've been here before. Fans of a certain vintage wince when you talk about "only needing a point." They've suffered painful near misses in the past. Take 1974. Scotland opened their group stage with a 2-0 win over Zaire and drew with Brazil and Yugoslavia, but missed out on progressing due to goal difference. In 1978, they lost to Peru, drew with Iran and then beat the Netherlands, complete with Archie Gemmill's wondergoal, but missed out on progressing again on goal difference. And well -- it was the same in 1982, a win, a defeat to Brazil, a draw with the Soviet Union and yep, out on goal difference. That's why, amid all the delight and relief at beating Haiti 1-0, there's still neurosis to compartmentalise past experiences and not chalking up the goals. "You just have to play the game," manager Steve Clarke said. "Permutations and whatever that's for you guys and the punters, not for us." That's the thing about seeking to achieve something you've never managed: you have memories of heartbreak and a tonne of cautionary tales as scare stories, but nothing to draw inspiration from. So it has to come from within. "I don't think any of the lads have shied away from it: we want to be the first team to [reach the knockouts] for our country," captain Andy Robertson said Thursday. "It's a nice feeling to try and do that." - Who is playing in the 2026 World Cup and when? How to watch in the UK - Scotland at the 2026 World Cup: Schedule, results, how to watch - Free World Cup 2026 predictor: Simulate your road to the final There's been a "business feel" to the camp this week, according to John McGinn. As the party continues to roll on in Boston, and the beer supplies take further dents night after night, the team have been preparing for Morocco in the seclusion of their base down in Charlotte. They watched Argentina and Lionel Messi on Tuesday night as a group -- it was a pinch-me moment for some players to be in the same tournament as someone widely considered to be the greatest ever footballer. "It was incredible...surreal to be honest," Ryan Christie said. But away from that, it's been an exercise in self-analysis and improvement. Getting the win over Haiti was essential to Scotland's hopes of progression. It held immense emotional significance -- just their fifth ever World Cup win and their first since Italia '90 -- but in the cold light of day, there was plenty for Scotland to improve on. They need to be better with the ball on Friday, expecting to have less possession against Morocco than they did last Saturday. They'll have to be far more clinical, too. "Any time you play a team inside the world's top 10, you know you're going to have to be good without and with the ball," Clarke said. "We're under no illusions about the size of the task for the next game. Morocco reached the last four in the last World Cup and I think this team are slightly better than that -- that gives you idea of the task ahead." Morocco possesses several of the world's top players, their run to the semifinals of Qatar 2022 still fresh in the memory. Robertson regards Achraf Hakimi as one of the world's two best fullbacks alongside his PSG teammate, Portugal's Nuno Mendes. Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, impressed in their opening round 1-1 draw with Brazil, while their goalscorer in that match Ismael Saibari has had an eventful couple of days after Bayern Munich shelled out €55 million ($63m) to prise him away from PSV. Then there are Real Madrid's Brahim Díaz and Strasbourg's Samir El Mourabet throwing in their creative touches. It's a formidable side, one who are seventh in FIFA's world rankings. There's a lot for Scotland to contend with, come Friday, hence the talk of the team going into "business" mode in Charlotte. That feeling of stern determination and focus has translated to Lyndon Dykes' hair - or lack of it. He shaves his hair ahead of Scotland's biggest tests: Serbia playoff in 2020, England at Wembley in Euro 2021, and he had a close cut for this tournament too. "With Scotland the shaved head has kinda stuck," Dykes told reporters earlier this week. "The boys like it when it's shaved. I don't know what it is. They prefer the bald Dykes. It's a bit more aggressive maybe." He hopes some of his teammates follow suit, too, and also get a tattoo like he plans to do to mark the occasion. But no one knows yet what significance that tattoo will hold, what memories it will trigger. That narrative is yet to be written as they look to end the long wait for a spot in the knockouts first. It's going to be fascinating to see what team Clarke goes with. Scott McKenna is fit again from the calf injury that kept him sidelined for the Haiti match, while Scott McTominay - though he played against Haiti - will be back to 100% after recovering from his stomach bug. Clarke is likely to mix things up tactically. He went with two up front for Haiti, but could revert to 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-1-1 for Friday's match. If he goes 4-5-1, then such a call would see one of Lawrence Shankland and Ché Adams make way (likely Shankland) and Christie come in. A back three would need a further change, perhaps Ben Gannon-Doak -- so impressive against Haiti -- for Kieran Tierney. "Every system we've ever played, lots of work has gone into them," Clarke says. "It's something we've always tried to expand on - different systems for different games. You'll have to wait and see." Whatever he opts for, it's going to be with the intention of Scotland putting their stamp on the match against one of the world's best sides. Clarke enjoys these matches where they're underdogs, believing they fare better under that psyche. It's all a balancing act. Robertson is trying to toe the line of daring to dream of making history and being unashamedly ambitious, while also focusing on the task at hand. If Scotland delivers, then there'll be more wonderful tartan-clad memories made in Boston. "On Saturday [the fans] were magnificent in the stadium as well and I know they'll be the same tomorrow," Robertson said. "I can't speak highly enough of them; they're the best in the world. "We know how difficult that's going to be -- we're playing against one of the best teams in the world," he added. "But if we put in our best performance I believe we can get what we want and achieve history."