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BRAZIL 1-1 MOROCCO (FT)
Morocco got on the scoreboard first with a cheeky chip by Saibari.
Later, Vinicius Jr. levels the game with a clinical finish.
In a thrilling Group C meeting between Brazil and Morocco, over 80,000 fans were treated to a memorable World Cup battle. Only the opening match for the two sides at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the two World Cup contenders opened their tournament with a wild 1-1 draw, with Vinicius Junior scoring for Brazil, and Ismael Saibari for Morocco.
Morocco got on the scoreboard first through Saibari's efforts in the 21st minute, following a long through ball by Brahim Diaz to set the tempo for the Atlas Lions. Despite the quick passing and effective counter-attacks that left Brazil scrambling at moments, Morocco's opening goal woke up Brazil, and they answered just 10 minutes later.
Vinicius leveled the game for Brazil in the 32nd minute after a threaded ball out wide to the winger, and the equalizer sent the stadium into a frenzy.
The remainder of the match was an exciting back-and-forth between the two heavyweights, though in the end, they split the points.
Morocco shows they're no fluke
Morocco's opening match against one of the world's traditional powerhouses just reinforced that their special semifinal run in the 2022 World Cup was not some kind of happenstance. They're back, and could be better than they were in 2022.
Ismael Saibari cracked the 2026 roster and his first-ever World Cup goal just adds more credibility to the squad and the growth of the program.
The Atlas Lions fed off each other and the atmosphere in New Jersey as they executed their gameplay, dictated stretches of play, and got off on the front foot, taking the game to Brazil. Even after conceding the equalizer, they showed they were still dangerous in transition. But maintaining form and composure against another contender will just add more tournament pressure, but the group seems to be in decent spirits about that.
"We drew but ... We still have to improve. Growing in every game. So that is what we're going to be focused on right now. Recouperate well and focus on the next game," said team captain Achraf Hakimi after the game.
"Just keep going. We [had] a really good game. We have to keep the positive things. We're going to learn from the mistakes that we did, for sure. We have to keep going. We have two games more to continue in the tournament, but that is the most important."
Brazil tested early in World Cup journey
While Brazil are synonymous with successful World Cups, the modern era of the game, and the expanded World Cup format shows that there are no longer easy or simple games.
The opening group match was billed as a marquee battle, and it delivered, though it was Brazil that found themselves playing from behind early and needing to regroup against Morocco's quick start. On their heels to start the game, they seemed vulnerable at times during quick transitions.
"I think this was a tough match, especially in the beginning. I think the team was a bit anxious at the beginning. Nerves were all over the place, didn't keep a lot of ball possession. In the second half, we did a lot better, but it was still tough, and I'm sure the team will do better next match," head coach Carlo Ancelotti said during the postgame.
While getting a draw against the co-front-runner in the group isn't something to toss away, there's a layer of expecting something more from a Brazilian side that has plenty of talent on the roster, but Ancelotti isn't getting too fixated too quickly on the result.
"We have to reassess what we did in the first match. We didn't play well [in] a few challenges. A very imbalanced team. We lost several balls. I think we have to do better in that sense. We did a little bit better in the second half, but we cannot lose heart," Ancelotti said.
"This is the first match in the World Cup, and we can't base ourselves on this to think that the team is doing perfectly from the get-go. This was the result we had. It wasn't bad, but we'll keep picking up from the second match on. You don't win a World Cup based on your first match."
Who has the bragging rights?
Off immediate vibes, the praise and compliments belong to Morocco. A team that pundits and soccer fans on the internet questioned if the roster could repeat their special performance from 2022 in Qatar presented plenty of answers against Brazil.
A slightly different roster, a new coach three months in on the job -- all irrelevant. The North African team's performance displayed more than a single point. They controlled large portions of the match despite it being an open game. They were a constant threat and created meaningful chances, including a stoppage-time sequence that required a wild double save to deny them the win.
Second tournament experienced players, a first-time World Cup goal for Saibari, a teenage World Cup debut for 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, who didn't fear the big lights, were all part of the equation of bragging rights for Morocco.
Perhaps the discouragement for Brazil isn't so much that they cannot outshine those who have caught up to the World Cup level, but more that a draw like Saturday's result exposes the weaknesses of the team. A vulnerability against effective pressing and quick transitions.
Maybe it's too early in the tournament to feel jaded by a low-scoring draw, but even Vinícius Junior felt the group was a level short on the day.
"I believe we started off on a really bad note. It really made it difficult for us, because we conceded that first goal, and after that happens, it's hard to get it going. It's the first match; debut is always hard, you know, but we got to improve and continue to grow, because competition is only just starting. This is the World Cup. No easy matches," he said after the game.
"People say that the World Cup is a quick adjustment tournament. Is there any urgent change to make for the next match? Well, for certain, we got to hold on to the ball. We had to move better, because a lot of the time the opponent had a really quick counterattack, but I don't think there's a lot to say now. I think we really have to improve."
What's next
Morocco will face Scotland in Boston on June 19 before closing out the group against Haiti on June 24. Brazil will head to Philadelphia to face Haiti on June 19 and wrap up group play against Scotland in Miami on June 24.
