Brazil opens World Cup with 1:1 draw against Morocco – Ancelotti sees room for improvement

Brazil needed only eleven minutes to respond. Vinicius Junior, the mercurial difference-maker from Real Madrid, smashed the ball into the net at 101 kilometers per hour after a feint, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance (32'). With the 1:1 at halftime, the Seleção appeared to have taken control, but in the second half they lacked penetration. "It is clear what we need to do better: we need better balance and greater aggression," demanded Ancelotti, who must now prepare the Brazilian team for the remaining group matches against Haiti and Scotland. A World Cup, the coach said with a view to the record world champions' 24-year drought, "is not won with the first game."

Harsh criticism from back home

The Brazilians' first half was sharply criticized at home. Columnists at the newspaper O Globo wrote that Brazil had delivered "the worst 45 minutes since that ill-fated 1:7" – the semifinal disaster against Germany at the 2014 home World Cup. The Argentine newspaper Pagina12 mocked: "Brasilien hat den Samba im Hotel gelassen". Ancelotti nevertheless refused to single out individual players, including Endrick of Olympique Lyon: "We have to accept the criticism, but not talk about individual players."

Symbolic of the difficult evening was the performance of midfield ball-winner Casemiro. The 34-year-old, already on a yellow card, had to make way at halftime and was described in the media as a player who had "definitiv seinen Zenit überschritten". Striker star Raphinha also remained largely absent for long stretches and crouched on the pitch long after the final whistle, visibly disappointed. Morocco, who had advanced to the semifinals as a surprise team at the 2022 World Cup, defended the point with passion.

Morocco celebrates the point as a success

Morocco's coach Mohamed Ouahbi was satisfied with the result. "We played to a draw, we are satisfied. Of course we would have liked to win, but I am still not sad," he said, adding: "What I am really proud of is that we are bold enough to demand the ball even under pressure. That is one of our great strengths." Captain Achraf Hakimi also drew a positive conclusion: "Wir können einiges Positives aus diesem Spiel mitnehmen." Ouahbi also spoke of a happy feeling after the intense match, even though his team would have preferred to win. Saibari, the Moroccan who is being courted by FC Bayern Munich, was the match-winner for the underdogs with his goal.

Outlook on the group stage

The 1:1 is, from a Brazilian perspective, only a weak start on the path to the hoped-for sixth World Cup title. The Seleção had at one point during qualifying been in danger of failing to qualify for the tournament, but ultimately made it. After a year in office, Ancelotti is now required to improve the team significantly in the upcoming matches against Haiti and Scotland if the dream of the title is not to end after 24 years already in the group stage.

In the German camp, the World Cup is being followed with excitement in parallel. Ahead of the DFB's opener against Curaçao, national team coach Julian Nagelsmann had spoken in an exclusive interview with ZDF reporter Lili Engels. Ismael Saibari, who scored against Brazil, is also reportedly on Bayern Munich's wishlist – a transfer could become concrete after the tournament.

Brazil's World Cup opener highlights the team's situation: the squad possesses individual quality, as seen with Vinicius Junior, but as a team it looks vulnerable. The upcoming matches will show whether Ancelotti can bring the balance and aggression he is calling for onto the pitch in the short time available. Morocco, meanwhile, travels on with the confidence of an opponent who has stood up to the favorite.