Vini Brilliance Not Enough as Resilient Morocco Holds the Seleção

Even before stepping onto the pitch against Brazil, Achraf Hakimi revealed that he had read all of Carlo Ancelotti’s books—and he proved it on the field. Morocco successfully contained a world-class attacking lineup featuring the likes of Vini Jr. and Raphinha, holding the five-time world champions to a draw as both teams kicked off their FIFA World Cup campaigns.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday morning (June 14). The Seleção fell behind after conceding in the 21st minute, but the five-time world champions went into the break on level terms thanks to a brilliant equalizer from Vinícius Júnior.

Playing without Neymar, Brazil looked disjointed in the opening stages. Morocco, on the other hand, played organized football right from the whistle and came close to scoring as early as the 6th minute.

Building an attack from the left flank with quick, short passes, Morocco's young midfielder Benjamin El Khannouss received the ball inside the Brazilian penalty box. He took control and fired toward the target, but Seleção defender Gabriel Magalhães made a crucial last-minute block.

After weathering Morocco's initial dominance, Brazil gradually found their footing. A counter-attack from the Seleção created a golden opportunity inside the Moroccan box when Igor Thiago found himself in an excellent position from a teammate's lofted pass. Despite jumping at the right time, the striker failed to make clean contact with the ball.

Just as Brazil was beginning to find their rhythm, Morocco broke the deadlock in the 21st minute. Following a spectacular assist from Real Madrid star Brahim Díaz, Moroccan forward Ismael Saibari found the back of the net to give his side the lead.

Relief for Brazil with Vini's 10th Goal
Brazil did not have to wait long for a response after going behind. Just 11 minutes later, Vinícius Júnior restored parity with a sensational piece of individual brilliance.

In the 32nd minute, Vini Jr. cut inside from the left flank, beat a Moroccan defender with a dazzling dribble, entered the box, and unleashed a thunderous strike.

Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou dived but could not stop the bullet shot. This marked Vinícius's 10th international goal in the famous yellow jersey.

Following a 1-1 scoreline at halftime, both teams maintained defensive solidity while launching several attacks in the second half. However, with no further goals scored, Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil and Morocco ultimately shared the points.