Brazil Held by Morocco Despite Stunning Vinicius Jr Goal in World Cup Opener
Vinicius Jr and Ismael Saibari produced moments of brilliance as Brazil and Morocco played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C clash at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
The meeting between the five-time world champions and the Qatar 2022 semi-finalists lived up to expectations, with both sides showcasing their quality in front of a packed crowd.
Morocco struck first when Brahim Diaz threaded a perfectly weighted pass through Brazil's defence, allowing Ismael Saibari to race clear and delicately lift the ball over goalkeeper Alisson Becker to give the Atlas Lions the lead.
Brazil responded in spectacular fashion shortly afterwards. Receiving the ball wide on the left from Bruno Guimaraes, Vinicius Jr cut inside and unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike that flew past Yassine Bounou and into the net, levelling the score with a moment of individual brilliance.
Despite chances at both ends, neither side could find a winner as the points were shared in a hard-fought contest.
Player of the Match: Vinicius Jr (Brazil)
Vinícius Júnior takes the honours as your @MichelobUltra Superior Player of the Match. 👑
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 14, 2026
#FIFAWorldCup #SuperiorPOTM pic.twitter.com/52qQZODCpr
Following the match, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted he was not fully satisfied with his team's performance.
"I don't think we started very well, and that concerns me a little. We lost too many duels and possession in the first half. We improved after the break against a very good Morocco side, but I expected a better start. Now our focus shifts to the next game," Ancelotti said.
