Brazil preserved one of their longest-standing World Cup records in New Jersey, avoiding defeat in an opening match for the first time since 1934 — but only after Vinicius Junior produced a moment of brilliance to rescue them.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were rattled early at MetLife Stadium as African champions Morocco made a fearless start, taking the lead and threatening to overwhelm the five-time world champions during a chaotic opening half-hour.
The veteran Italian manager appeared to take a gamble in midfield, pairing 34-year-old Casemiro with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes in punishing heat that approached 90 degrees at kick-off.
Brazil were struggling badly and already a goal down when Vinicius changed the mood of the contest in the 32nd minute. The Real Madrid forward cut inside with trademark skill before unleashing a powerful finish into the far corner, sparking wild celebrations among the large Brazilian support.
Ancelotti responded with changes at the interval in an effort to steady his team, and the second half unfolded with far less drama. Brazil improved after the break, and given how vulnerable they looked early on, a draw represented a respectable result.
The point keeps Brazil firmly in the race to finish top of a group where every position could prove crucial later in the tournament.
Brazil will have to be an awful lot better than this if they are to make an impact of their own, though. This was not the opening effort of a team that can have a realistic shot at winning the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
Brazil and Morocco shared the spoils in a thrilling World Cup contest in New Jersey
Morocco took the lead through an exceptional Ismael Saibari finish before Vinicius Jnr’s equaliser
VINI JNR SEIZES HIS MOMENT
The great Brazilian forward will celebrate his 26th birthday eight days before the end of this tournament and it feels as though he will have to be at his best if he is to get to enjoy it in America with his team-mates.
Vini Jnr said at a press conference to preface this game that he felt this was his time to shine and he duly took the contest by the scruff of its neck to drag his team-mates from the brink of World Cup catastrophe.
Afterwards Ancelotti paid his own tribute and said: ‘I think he has everything in his power to have a great World Cup.’
Certainly Vini Jnr’s goal was as beautiful as it was important.
Brazil were a goal down after Ismael Saibari’s 21st minute strike and Morocco were pouring forward seemingly at will. But just when the Brazilians in the crowd were growing restless, Vini Jnr took control of the ball on the left, cut inside Neil El Aynaoui and curled the ball powerfully across the goalkeeper and into the top corner.
It was a goal to save a game and rouse a nation and there were other moments of inspiration from a player who looks and sounds like he has come to America to be anointed as the world’s best player.
The problem he has got is that he will need another ten players to help him.
Vinicius Jnr scored a sensational solo goal to rescue his side after a torrid first half display
A TEAM OR A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUALS?
Ancelotti admitted afterwards that his team had been nervous and predicted that improvement will come.
‘I think it was a tough match, especially in the first half,’ said the great Italian coach.
‘Maybe the team was a bit anxious and the nerves were all over the place. The second half was better but it was still tough and I’m sure we’ll get better.’
But the fact that Ancelotti arrived at this tournament saying that his players must forsake individual accolades for the sake of the team perhaps spoke volumes for the flaw that runs through the heart of this Brazilian side.
This is a lop-sided Brazilian squad. It is overflowing with forward players and there clearly isn’t enough of a secure spine. They made some basic mistakes here and that can happen.
It was possible to point the finger at both central defenders and a goalkeeper Alisson who looks past his best for the Morocco goal but on this evidence Brazil lack a collective will also. That is the real worry.
During that frightening early spell when Morocco had Ancelotti’s team pinned in their own half there were troubling signs of Brazil players not tracking runners, not anticipating danger and frankly not committing to the hard stuff that all champion teams must do.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the former West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta was among the worst culprits and he only lasted an hour before he was replaced by Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha.
Paqueta is wonderfully talented but he has form for this and a tournament played in climatic conditions like this is not one in which a team can carry passengers.
‘We have to accept criticism,’ said Ancelotti.
‘The starting XI was well thought of. I won’t take any criticism of the individual players who started the match. There is criticism for the entire team which did not play well in the first half.’
Carlo Ancelotti’s team had a frightening opening to the match and his Brazil side appeared lop-sided
YOU CAN’T WIN A WORLD CUP WITHOUT LEGS
The one thing Ancelotti can’t do is inject quality and youth into the centre of the pitch. He just doesn’t have it available to him.
It always felt like a gamble to play veteran Casemiro in this game and it was one that failed. He and his midfield partner Bruno were given the first-half run around in midfield to the extent that was quite embarrassing.
Morocco poured through the gaps during an opening 25 minutes that could easily have seen them score three times. It was no surprise when the former United player was hooked at half-time but the fact his replacement was another eminent player past his prime – 32-year-old former Liverpool general Fabinho – said everything about where this Brazil team are ahead of a long tournament in hot and humid conditions.
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the England duo of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson playing in this Brazil team and the immediate improvement is obvious. This is a World Cup that will require endurance and durability and at times cussedness to get through games. On this evidence the five-times champions don’t have it where it matters.
It may take a change of tactics to change things but Ancelotti has been wedded to 4-2-4 for a while even if he admitted after this one that there are some basic flaws.
‘What we have to do better is clear, we need to be a more balanced team,’ he said.
Playing Casemiro was a gamble from Ancelotti that failed and the Italian may have to alter his tactics if Brazil to are have a chance of success
IGOR THIAGO WAS A BIG CALL
It was quite something to see a Brentford striker playing up front for Brazil at a World Cup and it says everything for the London club’s incredible recruitment model that Igor Thiago was here on the back of his 22 Premier League goals last season.
That said, it was a really big decision by Ancelotti on a day when everybody expected him to go with Cunha. It’s hard to say it was a decision that paid off.
Thiago fluffed a really good chance early on when superb work by Vinicius Junior set him up with what seemed a straight forward header. He hardly made contact with the ball at all.
The 24-year-old did bring a sharp save from the Morocco goalkeeper early in the second half with a rising shot but this was an unconvincing display on a day when he just couldn’t seem to get the ball to stick.
Only his fifth cap, Ancelotti will hope for better if he picks him again against the group’s whipping boys Haiti in the next game.
Brentford’s Igor Thiago earned the nod up front ahead of Matheus Cunha, but had an unconvicing display
DRINKS BREAK IS ABOUT MORE THAN WATER
There has already been criticism of the drinks breaks that will be a feature of this World Cup. Introduced supposedly in the name of player welfare, they have also allowed the host broadcasters to cram two more commercial breaks into each 90 minutes of action.
More than that, they can be crucial in changing the flow of a game and the one in the first half certainly played in to Brazilian hands here. They were a goal down and drowning when play was called to a halt.
Morocco had crafted a lovely goal – helped by some dreadful defending and goalkeeping – in the 21st minute and were threatening to score the second that may well have killed the game.
But a drink and a few words from Ancelotti and his staff managed to change the flow of the game a little and as Brazil settled themselves, Vini Jnr scored the goal that ultimately saved his team from an opening game disaster.
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