Grant Hanley's 'ultimate sin' in Morocco defeat leaves Scotland boss facing major World Cup selection call vs Brazil

Scotland boss Steve Clarke has a big selection call to make in central defence ahead of Wednesday’s pivotal final World Cup group stage clash against Brazil following Grant Hanley’s nightmare display in the 1-0 defeat to Morocco.

On his 70th cap, the veteran Hibs centre-back was left red-faced after his costly second-minute error saw him accused of committing the “ultimate sin” after failing to play offside in the concession of the opening goal.

It took Morocco striker Ismael Saibari just 71 seconds to break the deadlock against Steve Clarke’s side in Boston on Friday night after Hanley had attempted to step out and catch the reported Bayern Munich target offside but mistimed his run.

And Saibari - who is set to leave PSV Eindhoven in a deal worth in excess of £45m after the tournament - was clearly onside when the ball was played through into his path. He made no mistake by drilling a ferocious effort high past goalkeeper Angus Gunn from a tight angle in what was the quickest goal in North America to date.

Hanley’s glaring mistake against the Atlas Lions has raised fresh question marks over his place in Clarke’s starting XI for the vital Group C fixture with Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil in Miami this week. Having started the opening two games, the 34-year-old was caught out in the early stages and never looked comfortable thereafter as he struggled to get the grips with the pace of the game.

Dissecting the Scots’ disastrous start to the contest, former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou stated on ITV: “They didn’t start as we thought they would with a back five. They looked like they were still finding their feet a little bit.

“What happened in the end is they all got attracted by the ball, left centre-back drifted away, and you’ll see Grant Hanley probably commits the ultimate sin of playing offside and putting his hand up rather than following the runner.”

‘A dreadful piece of defending’

Hanley’s positioning also received a scathing assessment from ex-Scotland international Mark McGhee, who said live on talkSPORT commentary: “What a dreadful piece of defending. He makes it easy for him... it’s schoolboy stuff.”

With his performance eviscerated by pundits, it leaves head coach Clarke with a big decision to make over whether to stick by one of his favourites or drop him and bring in either John Souttar or Scott McKenna to partner the ultra-consistent Jack Hendry.

Rangers ace Souttar has endured a disrupted season with injury issues and looks to have fallen out of favour under Clarke, while McKenna has been struggling with a recent calf problem.

Defeat to Morocco leaves Scotland in third spot in Group C with three points, but qualification is very much still in their own hands. A victory over an unsettled Brazilian outfit would guarantee a place in the knockout stages for the first time at a major tournament.

However, there are other permutations that could result in Scotland still progressing as one of the top eight third-placed teams, meaning goal difference may prove crucial. Avoiding a heavy defeat is required and Clarke has a dilemma on his hands with his team now walking a qualification tightrope.

What changes will Steve Clarke make?

It’s likely that Clarke will have his defensive hat on against the five-time World Cup champions, even though this is far from a vintage Brazilian side. He could revert to a back five, but it will require a solid, cohesive display from his players to cause their opponents problems.

Clarke made three changes to his line-up for the Morocco game and could shuffle things around again by drafting in fresh legs ahead of what promises to be testing conditions for the squad. Whether Hanley is involved from the outset remains to be seen.

Often viewed an easy target for sections of the Tartan Army, his poor performance came on the back of producing two goal-saving blocks against Haiti in Scotland’s opening match and a similarly strong showing throughout the qualification process, which included a commanding defensive shift in the goalless draw with Denmark in Copenhagen. It leaves plenty for Clarke to mull over.

Keeping Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior in check will be no easy task and Clarke will also have a huge call to make on who should get the nod at right-back, with injury-ravaged Aaron Hickey and a confidence-shot Nathan Patterson both failing to impress against Haiti and Morocco respectively. Celtic’s tried and tested Anthony Ralston is an option, should Clarke decide to opt for greater experience against a clinical striker capable of unlocking any backline on the international stage.