World Cup 2026. Morocco shakes Brazil but settles for a 1‑1 draw

The end of the match was tense and breathless — the perfect illustration of Morocco’s new status. The Atlas Lions were not far from defeating Brazil (1‑1) this Saturday, June 13, in the opening match of Group C at the 2026 World Cup.

In New Jersey, the MetLife Stadium — draped in red and yellow — provided the stage for a high‑level encounter that ended in a draw, a result that seemed fair given the flow of the match.

With a bold start, the Atlas Lions took the lead through Ismaïl Saibari after about twenty minutes of play. 

But just as Morocco were pushing to double their advantage, they were caught off guard by Vinícius, whose powerful strike inside the box proved unstoppable for Yassine Bounou (32’). 

In any case, the Atlas Lions’ performance — though uneven at times — remains reassuring regarding the prospects of Achraf Hakimi and his teammates for the rest of the tournament.

After a few days of rest, the national team will attempt to secure their qualification for the next round on Matchday 2 against Scotland, on Friday, June 19.

Morocco started the match on the right foot

Although the start of the match was choppy and somewhat messy, with plenty of ball losses, it was nonetheless the Atlas Lions who stood out first.

In the fifth minute, the superb work of Mazraoui on the left side ended with an attempt by Neil El Aynaoui, thwarted at the last moment by the Brazilian central defense.

Then it was Achraf Hakimi who made his mark shortly after with a breakthrough and a curling shot that missed Alisson’s goal by quite a margin.

The Brazilians were particularly troubled by Morocco’s pressing, which was triggered as soon as the ball reached the feet of the Brazilian midfielders.

The technical quality of Morocco’s midfield, reinforced by Bilal El Khannouss starting on the left wing and the movements of Ismaïl Saibari as a false 9, allowed for better control of the game.

🚨 التشكيلة الرسمية لـ منتخبنا الوطني أمام البرازيل

📋 Our National Team's 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 against Brazil 🇧🇷#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ngKcu0kyJq

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) June 13, 2026

With much smoother ball exits than their opponents. In light of these elements, it was not surprising that Morocco tried their luck six times compared to just once from the Brazilian side in the first ten minutes.

Even though a run by Vinicius followed by a cross headed by Igor Tiago made the Moroccan defense sweat (14').

A proof that the Seleção can be extremely dangerous even in a scrappy manner and with bits of string. Somewhat cooled off, the fans warmed up with Ismaïl Saibari's opening goal just before the cooling break.

Launched deep by Brahim Diaz, his brilliant lob over Alisson was of great finesse (21'). Saibari offered Morocco a thoroughly deserved lead considering the course of the first twenty minutes.

A lead that Achraf Hakimi could have extended if his attempt hadn't missed the target of Alisson in a new lightning transition phase (27').

The Atlas Lions lost momentum between the end of the first half and the start of the second

Totally lost and suffocated, Brazil kept losing possession and constantly saw the Moroccan waves return. Overwhelmed by the intensity, generosity, and relentless runs of the Atlas Lions, who seemed far less bothered by the heat. 

But Brazil has individuals of the highest caliber, as shown by Vinícius, whose curling strike inside the box left Yassine Bounou with no chance after half an hour of play (32’). 

In the action, Achraf Hakimi’s positioning is as questionable as Neil El Aynaoui’s coverage on the one‑two between Casemiro and the Real Madrid forward. 

Less compact and disciplined, the Moroccan defensive block left more and more space for the Brazilian attackers. Fortunately for the Atlas Lions, the Auriverde lacked precision. 

But overall, each of the two teams had their moments during this first half — and it was during these spells of dominance that the nets shook. 

Brazil could even have taken the lead without Bounou’s fantastic save on an acrobatic effort by Lucas Paquetá, just before heading to the locker room. 

Returning to the field, Brazil’s coach Carlo Ancelotti made changes to his eleven, introducing Fabinho and Danilo in place of Casemiro and Ibáñez — both cautioned in the first half. 

On the Moroccan side, Mohamed Ouahbi made a slight adjustment by asking Neil El Aynaoui and Ayoub Bouaddi to switch positions.

But the Moroccan coach could do little about his players’ lack of vigilance on a quickly taken throw‑in, which allowed Igor Thiago to test the national team’s goalkeeper with a powerful shot (52’).

A suffocating end to the match

An opportunity that only confirmed Brazil’s awakening since Ismaïl Saibari’s opening goal, which clearly spurred them on. 

More aggressive and less lenient, the Auriverde were now in better mental, technical, and physical condition. Even tactically, they managed to reduce the spaces they had been leaving after losing possession. 

The national team’s staff tried to respond to their players’ evident drop in form around the hour mark by introducing Chems Eddine Talbi and Samir El Mourabet for Azzedine Ounahi and Brahim Diaz. Although there was some improvement, Brazil remained the more dangerous side — as shown by Raphinha’s attempt in the box, served by Vinícius Júnior (79’). 

On that occasion, Yassine Bounou intervened without much difficulty. But it was another warning to be taken seriously by the Atlas Lions. Issa Diop was also not particularly reassuring on a back pass too short for Yassine Bounou.

Fortunately, the national team’s goalkeeper anticipated his defender’s mistake. Bounou was everywhere, maintaining the result in a match ending that could have gone either way. In fact, it took a double save by Alisson on two Moroccan attempts in stoppage time to prevent the Atlas Lions from claiming victory.