Morocco took the lead with an excellent goal when Ismael Saibari chipped the ball over Brazil goalkeeper Alisson. Saibari raced onto a brilliant pass from Brahim Diaz to finish the move and put Morocco in front against Brazil.
Brazil were struggling for long stretches, but Vinicius pulled the match level with a superb individual goal. He cut in from the left and lashed a shot beyond Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to make it 1-1.
THE EQUALIZER! 🇧🇷 VINI JR. SCORES BRAZIL'S FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP!
Carlo Ancelotti made his feelings on Brazil's performance clear through his substitutions. Brazil had made four of their allocated five substitutes before the 65th minute. One of the players hauled off at half-time was Casemiro, the 34-year-old midfielder who has recently left Manchester United after reaching the end of his contract.
In stark contrast to Casemiro, playing in the same position for Morocco was Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old was outstanding for the champions of Africa as Morocco earned a deserved point from the match.
Will Other Teams Fear Brazil After This?
Anyone who felt that Brazil were being underrated or overlooked ahead of this World Cup can probably put that opinion away now. This is a side rich in talent, especially in attack, but Ancelotti has an enormous amount of work to do if the Selecao are to reach the latter stages of this tournament, let alone win it.
Their first-half performance was genuinely appalling. Roger Ibanez, a centre-back who plays in Saudi Arabia was completely adrift at right-back and replaced at half-time. Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes looked like they were wading through treacle. Igor Thiago, a surprise selection up front, fluffed his one half chance and barely touched the ball. There was no pattern to the play. Brazil scored in the only way they were ever going to score, via a slice of individual magic from Vinicius.
Ancelotti's half-time changes were quietly damning. Casemiro was replaced by Fabinho, last seen at the very top level of the game three years ago. Ibanez gave way to Danilo, a 34-year-old who is not even a regular starter at his club, Flamengo. Those switches underlined the weaknesses in this squad and Brazil's stuttering production line in central midfield and at full-back.
In fairness, Brazil did improve in the second half. There was more intensity and more control. You could not, however, argue that they deserved more than a point from the game, or that the genuine favourites in this World Cup should be quaking in their boots.
How Far Can This Morocco Side Go?
The answer to that is reflected in the body language of Morocco's players. Did they look like a team surprised by the manner of their performance? Not remotely. Their self-assurance, their belief in their ability, and their comfort for a lot of this bold display tells of a team that fear nobody and feel more than ready.
Morocco caught the eye at the last World Cup when they reached the semi-finals. The intervening four years have cemented their ambitions. It takes immense mental and technical qualities to fly into Brazil in an opening World Cup group match. It would be entirely reasonable to be cautious and sound the occasion out, but such caution was of no interest whatsoever to a Morocco team full of daring.
They tore at their opponents with high intensity precision which left Brazil so befuddled they may as well have worn a sicklier shade of yellow. Morocco's growth in recent years has injected them with such self assurance that they were intent on playing their own game, at their own fierce pace.
