Vinícius salvages 1-1 draw for nervy Brazil vs Morocco
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- Vinícius Júnior scored his second career World Cup goal to salvage a 1-1 draw for Brazil against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
- Morocco controlled the opening 30 minutes and went ahead through Ismael Saibari's goal, coming close to handing Brazil their first opening World Cup defeat since 1934.
- Carlo Ancelotti blamed 'nerves' and anxiety for Brazil's poor start, said the second half was 'better,' and insisted he is 'absolutely' confident the team will improve before the knockout stage.
- Vinícius acknowledged the team 'started on a really bad note,' saying Brazil 'have to hold on to the ball' and 'move better' in upcoming matches.
- Neymar was unavailable due to a torn right calf, leaving Brazil without their star for the group opener and the Friday matchup against Haiti in Philadelphia.
- Ancelotti faced pointed questions about his team selection and tactics in a tense postmatch news conference but told reporters, 'You don't win the World Cup in your first match.'
Why it matters: Brazil entered the tournament as favorites but nearly became the first Brazilian side since 1934 to lose a World Cup opener, exposing the squad's mental fragility under Ancelotti. With Neymar still sidelined by a torn calf and only a Friday date against Haiti before stiffer tests, Ancelotti has minimal time to fix the first-half imbalance and anxiety he himself flagged.
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