Brazil 1-1 Morocco: Vinicius Junior stunner earns point for Selecao in World Cup 2026 opener | OneFootball

Selecao are hoping to win a sixth World Cup

Brazil could not claim a win in their World Cup 2026 curtain-raiser as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a very impressive Morocco at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Selecao were fortunate to find themselves level at half time, after Ismael Saibari’s deft lob over the onrushing Alisson Becker from Brahim Diaz’s pinpoint through pass had given the Atlas Lions an unlikely, yet very deserved lead.

Mohamed Ouhabi’s side were by far the better of the two teams in front of a sell-out crowd, which saw the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Nazario in the stands.

But while the Paris Saint-Germain star flew forwards on his own attacking mission, that left plenty of room for Vinicius to weave his magic, and he did so to devastating effect, cutting inside all too easily before lasering a stunning strike beyond Bono in the Moroccan net.

Cheeky chip: Ismael Saibari

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Brazil were sloppy throughout, misplacing passes and taking far too much time on the ball as the champions of Africa smelled blood, and went hunting in packs in their high press.

Brahim Diaz sought to make things happen off the right, while the former Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss was bright on the opposite flank in the first half, before fading in the second.

Brentford striker Igor Thiago was handed a shock start from the off by Ancelotti, and he saw a gilt-edged chance go awry early in the first period, after great work from Vinicius to skip by his man and stand a cross up from the byline. Thiago craned his neck for a glancing header, but got his contact all wrong and Morocco survived.

There were few chances in a slower second half, and both sides looked content with a share of the spoils upon the full-time whistle.

Morocco take on Scotland in Boston, Massachusetts next, while Brazil face Haiti.