Morocco and Brazil got their 2026 FIFA World Cup started with a bang on Saturday.
Facing off in their Group C opener, Morocco took a 1-0 lead over Brazil thanks to a tidy finish from forward Ismael Saibari in the 21st minute.
With Morocco mounting a counter-attack, Real Madrid man Brahim Diaz played a through ball between two Brazilian defenders and into a perfect spot for Saibari.
The striker needed just one touch to lob the ball over Brazilian keeper Allison and into the net, putting the Moroccans into the lead over Carlo Ancelloti’s men.
With Brazil now on alert for a potential upset against a talented Morocco side, Vinicius Jr. responded with a perfectly placed right-footed strike in the 32nd minute to square things up at 1-1.
After leading the Brazilian attack into the box, the star forward played a pass to midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who played Vinicius back in with an incisive ball. He would take on a Moroccan defender before curling a powerful right-footed strike past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and inside the far post for an emphatic reply.
The two nations were unable to find a second-half winner and settled for a hard fought 1-1 draw, taking a point apiece to begin their World Cup campaigns.
