Christie and Gannon-Doak ready for Morocco World Cup Test

AFC Bournemouth duo Ryan Christie and Ben Gannon-Doak are preparing for another major examination on football's biggest stage as Scotland face Morocco in a crucial World Cup Group C clash on Friday night.

With Premier League fixtures for the 2026/27 campaign being released today, both Cherries players are gaining invaluable experience in high-pressure environments that could prove crucial when they return to club duty later this summer.

Scotland boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stages with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Haiti in their opening fixture, but Christie insists the squad's focus has already shifted towards the challenge posed by Morocco.

"The excitement and stuff of the Haiti game has obviously died down now," said Christie, as a pre-match press conference. "It was an incredible night and one we were all buzzing with.

"We've done that. We've given ourselves that chance now and now we need to go and grasp it, and the first chance to do that is Friday night against Morocco."

The experienced midfielder believes Scotland must embrace the challenge despite facing one of the tournament's strongest sides.

"We put the pressure on ourselves," Christie explained. "Everybody said going into it we're desperate to get out the group.

"It's going to be a very tough game on Friday. We knew that going into the draw, so looking forward to it."

The 31-year-old is set to earn his 70th Scotland cap and reflected on a journey that has taken him from his international debut to competing at a World Cup.

"I'd never ever envisioned playing at a Euros, never mind a World Cup," he admitted. "It's been an incredible journey. I've loved absolutely every moment of it."

While Christie provides experience in the Scotland camp, Bournemouth winger Gannon-Doak continues to establish himself on the international stage.

The 20-year-old became the youngest player to start for Scotland at a World Cup when he lined up against Haiti and impressed during the victory.

Despite attracting praise for his performance, in a chat on AFCB.co.uk - the youngster was quick to emphasise the collective effort.

"If I was to look back on the game myself, I am quite happy," said Gannon-Doak. "I'm happy to contribute on both sides of the game.

"But listen, it's not about me, it's about every single one of the lads who started or came off the bench who were absolutely top drawer."

The winger also highlighted the importance of maintaining momentum heading into Scotland's remaining group fixtures.

"There's no better feeling than winning at anything. Whether that's at footie or playing the PlayStation. Winning is the best feeling ever and there's no better feeling than winning for your country."

Gannon-Doak is under no illusions about the challenge ahead, however, warning against underestimating any team at the tournament.

"Every team deserves to be here," he said. "Every team that's here is a good side and they have good qualities.

"We know how good the next opponents are and we are very confident we can go into those games and hopefully get a result."

For Bournemouth, matches against the likes of Morocco and Brazil offer more than just World Cup opportunities. The intensity, scrutiny and quality of opposition provide Christie and Gannon-Doak with experiences that can only aid their development ahead of another demanding Premier League season, plus of course, a campaign which includes Europa League football.

With Marco Rose's side set to discover their 2026/27 fixture schedule today, both players will hope a successful World Cup campaign can provide the perfect springboard into another important year on the south coast.