FIFA World Cup 2026: Brazil holds fiery Morocco to draw in Group C opener

The final sentence of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby reads: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Few football nations understand the struggle of moving forward while being anchored to the past better than Brazil. Every World Cup campaign is measured against ghosts in canary yellow shirts. Morocco arrived with no such burden, but with the momentum of a generation determined to push beyond the boundaries it has already broken down. In East Rutherford, history and possibility shared the same pitch, and neither could find a way past the other.

Brazil’s last World Cup match on U.S. soil was a famous one – victory in the 1994 final, where that side’s ultra-defensive approach overcame Italy, which had Selecao’s current coach, Carlo Ancelotti, as its assistant manager.

Here, in the early evening heat, the sea of canary yellow vastly outnumbered the red of Morocco in the stands as members of the Brazilian diaspora from across the tri-state area turned up in large numbers.

But the Moroccans lost little time in silencing the partisan crowd, pushing Brazil back with Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz combining effectively down the right flank. The breakthrough duly came in the 21st minute as Ismael Saibari nonchalantly lifted the ball over an onrushing Alisson Becker, having outpaced a chasing Gabriel after Diaz threaded a measured through ball into his stride.

Yet, minutes after the hydration break, a moment of individual brilliance from Vinicius Junior restored parity and brought life back to the previously stunned Brazilian fans. The Real Madrid attacker played a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes near the left touchline before dropping his shoulder to whip in a curling right-footer into the top-right corner to make it 1-1.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | Brazil vs Morocco match highlights

The equaliser shifted the momentum. In the first minute of stoppage time, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou had to produce a reflex acrobatic save to keep out Lucas Paqueta’s sumptuous side volley that was arrowing towards the bottom corner.

As the second half progressed, Morocco retreated into a considerably deeper defensive block, inviting Brazil forward while looking to strike on the counter.

That approach nearly paid off with 15 minutes remaining as the Atlas Lions carved out two openings in quick succession, first down the left and then from the right. Brazil’s defence, however, stood firm on both occasions.

An errant back pass from Noussair Mazraoui then almost gifted Raphinha a clear run on goal, but Bounou was quick to sense the danger and raced off his line to snuff out the chance. At the other end, Neil El Aynaoui forced Alisson into a diving save to his left, and the Liverpool goalkeeper was nimble enough to again push away the follow-up from Amaimouni-Echghouyab for a corner.

Neither side could find the decisive breakthrough. But for Morocco, a point against one of the tournament favourites was another sign of the team’s growing stature. For Brazil, the search for a future worthy of its past goes on.