Brazil Held to 1-1 Draw by Morocco in World Cup Group C Thriller
Vinicius Jr's equalizer secures a point for Brazil after Ismael Saibari's opener, leaving Group C wide open.
The story
The FIFA World Cup 2026 witnessed a captivating Group C encounter as five-time champions Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw by 2022 semi-finalists Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Morocco, displaying the resilience that took them deep into the last tournament, took a deserved lead in the 21st minute through Ismael Saibari, who expertly lifted the ball over Alisson Becker after a precise pass from Brahim Diaz.
Brazil responded with a moment of individual brilliance when Vinicius Jr, fed by Bruno Guimaraes, cut inside from the left and unleashed a powerful right-foot shot into the net in the 32nd minute, leveling the score. Despite both teams creating further opportunities, including a late double save by Alisson, neither could find a winner, resulting in shared points. This hard-fought draw sets an intriguing tone for Group C, with both heavyweights looking to secure top spot in their upcoming fixtures.
Yesterday's results
| Match | Score | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar vs Switzerland | 1-1 | Boualem Khoukhi's late header (or Miro Muheim own goal) earns Qatar their first World Cup point. |
| Brazil vs Morocco | 1-1 | Ismael Saibari and Vinicius Jr trade goals in a Group C stalemate. |
| Haiti vs Scotland | 0-1 | John McGinn's first-half goal secures a historic win for Scotland. |
Where it stands
After the latest round of matches, Group C sees Scotland at the top with three points following their 1-0 victory over Haiti. Brazil and Morocco are tied with one point each after their 1-1 draw.
In Group B, Qatar and Switzerland both earned their first point of the tournament with a 1-1 draw, leaving all four teams in Group B (Switzerland, Canada, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina) with one point each and zero goal difference after their opening matches. The expanded World Cup format means that the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, plus the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32.
What we'll be watching
- Australia vs Turkiye (World Cup 2026, Group D), June 14, 08:00Z in Vancouver
- Germany vs Curacao (World Cup 2026, Group E), June 14, 17:00Z in Houston
- Netherlands vs Japan (World Cup 2026, Group F), June 14, 20:00Z in Arlington
- Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (World Cup 2026, Group E), June 15, 03:00Z in Philadelphia
- Sweden vs Tunisia (World Cup 2026, Group F), June 15, 06:00Z in Guadalupe
- Spain vs Cape Verde (World Cup 2026, Group H), June 15, 17:00Z in Atlanta
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.