World Cup 2026: Biggest takeaways from Brazil-Morocco group match

by | Jun 14, 2026 | World

Vinicius Junior scored a brilliant goal to dig Brazil out of trouble after Ismael Saibari had put Morocco ahead.A moment of magic from Vinicius Junior salvaged Brazil a point against Morocco in New Jersey, as the five-time World Champions made a shaky start to the tournament.Ismael Saibari ran through to give Morocco a 21st-minute lead with a clever scoop in the Group C opener on Saturday, but a solo effort from Vinicius ensured the points were shared in this much-anticipated group match.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listHere are the biggest takeaways from the 1-1 draw at New York New Jersey Stadium. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti at half time [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]Brazil make a slow startBrazil are chasing a record sixth World Cup title, 24 years after last lifting the trophy, but this performance suggests there is a lot of work to be done by Carlo Ancelotti’s side.They showed signs of nerves during the early stages of the game and struggled to cope with a lively Morocco attack.A fifth-placed finish in South American qualifying underlined the scale of the challenge facing Ancelotti, and this performance has done little to ease concerns about the quality of the Brazil squad.A number of their players struggled to cope with the intensity of the Moroccan team, with midfielder Casemiro subbed off at half-time after a difficult opening 45 minutes in the heat.The World Cup final is a long way off in New Jersey, but Brazil will have to vastly improve if they are to have any hope of making it.Morocco look like the real dealThe Atlas Lions stunned the world of football in 2022 as they made it all the way to the semifinals in Qatar. Advertisement Four years later, Morocco have the chance to show that it was not a one-off run to the last four and they are the real deal.Judging by their performance in New Jersey on Saturday, the North African nation are truly a force to be reckoned with.They arrived in North America as African Cup of Nations champions, after being retrospectively awarded the title following a controversial final defeat to Senegal, and they continued their strong form with a commanding performance against Brazil …

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