Sports Desk: Despite falling behind, five-time champions Brazil drew their first match at the World Cup thanks to Vinicius Junior’s goal. Brazil drew 1-1 with Morocco in the ‘C’ Group match held this morning.
Morocco took the lead first with a goal from Ismael Saberi in the 21st minute. Then, in the 32nd minute, Brazil equalized with a goal from Vinicius Junior. In the end, the match ended 1-1 and both teams got 1 point each.
Brazil and Morocco, ranked sixth and seventh in the FIFA rankings, faced off in the biggest match of Group ‘C’ in front of about 80,000 spectators at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Morocco put Brazil under pressure from the start of the match, which started in temperatures of about 36 degrees Celsius. Morocco went on the first attack in the seventh minute of the match in organized football. Brazil defender Bruno Guimaraes blocked El Ainouie’s shot towards the goal from Mazraoui’s cross.
Brazil had a chance to score in the 12th minute. Igor Thiago could not get his head on Vinicius’ extended cross from the left.
Morocco scored the first goal in the 21st minute. Brahim Dias passed through from midfield. Saberi, who controlled the ball and left behind Brazilian defenders Marquinhos and Gabriel, chipped the ball over the head of Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Morocco took the lead in the match with a 1-0 lead.
Brazil did not take long to equalize the match. They scored in the 32nd minute. Vinicius took the ball from midfield and passed it to Bruno Guimaraes. Bruno then passed the ball back to Vinicius. Vinicius put the ball into the Moroccan net with a powerful right-footed shot. The Real Madrid star scored his 10th goal in his 50th match for Brazil and his second goal of the World Cup.
Brazil and Morocco tried to attack for a goal even with a 1-1 tie. But they were not enough to score.
Ancelotti’s Brazil had a good chance to score in the third minute of injury time of the first half. Lucas Paqueta’s volley was saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yacine Bonu for a corner. As a result, Brazil and Morocco went into the break with a 1-1 tie.
Brazil and Morocco were quite cautious in the second half. There was not much momentum in the game between the two teams. They tried to take control of the midfield. But the attacks did not find a goal due to repeated wrong passes.
In the 67th minute, Brazilian striker Luiz Henrique missed a chance to score from Rafinha’s cross. He failed to take a shot on goal.
In the 79th minute, Barcelona striker Rafinha took a weak shot despite receiving the ball in the empty space in Vinicius’s pass d-box.
In the 83rd minute, Morocco was saved from danger by the determination of goalkeeper Buno. Rafinha went forward alone on Issa Diop’s backpass, but Buno quickly came out of the goal and took possession of the ball.
In the ninth minute of injury time in the second half, goalkeeper Alisson saved Brazil from conceding a goal. Alisson failed to block Morocco’s El Aynaoui’s shot at first. However, the Liverpool goalkeeper raised his hand to block Aynaoui’s shot on the return ball. In the end, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Brazil and Morocco left the field sharing the points.
Brazil had a slight advantage in possession, with 51.3 percent of the ball being in their possession. Morocco had 48.7 percent of the ball.
Brazil had 5 shots on goal and Morocco had 3. Brazil also had two yellow cards.
Brazil will face Haiti in their second group match on June 19. Morocco will play Scotland on the same day.
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