Part of the ritual of World Cups past. Scotland come to that fork in their progress when headlines summon forth bravehearts and bonny lads but results decree a plane trip home. They deserve better, but haven't they always.

Necessity may lead Scotland to field their most potent line-up today in a game which on paper offers them their best chance yet of proceeding to the promised land that is the second round. Craig Burley, deployed uncomfortably as a wing back, will move inside to central midfield where he enjoyed an intoxicating season for Celtic. Burley scored from central midfield when he moved in there against Norway.

The Scottish midfield will have a distinctly Celtic influence if, as expected, Jackie McNamara takes over on the right wing and Burley lines up in the centre, along with Tom Boyd and former Celtic star John Collins.

Colin Calderwood has failed to recover from injury and his place in defence will be taken by Davey Weir of Hearts, who did well when replacing Calderwood the last day. Up front, coach Craig Brown is set to go with the less than productive partnership of Kevin Gallacher and Gordon Durie. One presumes that if Scotland fail to qualify the nation will place a compulsory barring order on Duncan Ferguson of Everton, who sits at home sulking.

The Moroccans, for their part, seek to avoid a departure which would be bitter in regret. They will forgive themselves for being overawed and outclassed against Brazil, but will be talking about the three points they threw away on the opening day against Norway. They played intoxicating football that night, against a team with stolid British virtues and need to produce the same again this evening if they are to progress.

It is within their capability. Their defence is ricketty, apart from the sturdy veteran Nourredine Naybet, but they have a midfield which can run hard and create beautifully. In strikers Hadji and Bassir, they also have a sharper cutting edge than Scotland's. The portents are for goals and, when the addition and subtraction is done, heartbreak for a Scottish team who will look back and wonder if they underestimated Morocco.

Probable Teams

Scotland: Leighton; Boyd, Weir, Hendry, Dailly, McNamara, Burley, Lambert, Collins, Gallacher, Durie.

Morocco: Benzekri; Saber, Naybet, Rossi, El Hadrioui, El Khalej, Hadji, Chippo, Triki, Bassir, Hadda.