Thanks to a gem from Ismael Saibari and a performance of rare class from Ayyoub Bouaddi in the midfield, Morocco snatched a valuable draw against Brazil (1-1), Saturday in New Jersey during the first day of Group C of the 2026 World Cup. A high-level outing which confirms the ambitions of the Atlas Lions.
From the first minutes, Mohamed Ouahbi’s men confiscated the ball from their Brazilian counterparts, multiplying short passes and sequences of possession to try to find the fault in an Auriverde defense grouped in its last meters.
As the minutes passed, Morocco increased its hold on the match, facing a cautious Seleção, more concerned with closing spaces than building the game. The Atlas Lions created several dangerous situations, starting with a strike from El Aynaoui diverted at the last minute by an opposing defender, before Ounahi sent a powerful shot a few centimeters from the top corner.
Moroccan pressure has not eased. Brahim Diaz also tried his luck, but his shot was blocked by a cornered Brazilian rearguard. Faced with a very low block and a defense almost grouped with ten behind the ball, the Moroccans then varied their offensives by focusing on long shots, forcing the Brazilian defenders to multiply their interventions.
After the first quarter of an hour, the Brazilians began to timidly leave their camp. Vinicius Junior tried to bring danger to his wing, but he came up against an imperial Achraf Hakimi, author of constant marking.
By wanting to loosen the grip and gain ground, the Seleção ended up leaving spaces. An error that the Atlas Lions immediately exploited. In the 21st minute, Ismael Saibari made a high-class gesture by executing a sumptuous lob which left the Brazilian goalkeeper without reaction, thus rewarding a Moroccan domination that had until then been unchallenged and offering his team a well-deserved opener.
Far from being content to preserve their advantage, the Atlas Lions continued their business of domination after the opening score. Masters of the ball and the debates, Mohamed Ouahbi’s men continued to dictate the pace of the match.
However, while Morocco seemed to have the match well in hand, the Seleção was able to showcase its talent on one of its rare offensive forays. On the clearest opportunity of this first period, Vinicius Junior displayed all his technical quality, to put the two teams back on an equal footing (32nd minute).
The second half started at a more measured pace, with both teams displaying more caution in their intentions. Brazil tried to gradually regain control of the game, seeking to establish possession and calm the pace, but the Atlas Lions remained perfectly in place, tactically disciplined and solid in the duels.
On the Brazilian bench, Carlo Ancelotti quickly adjusted his system. The Italian coach made changes, notably with Roger Ibáñez leaving and Casemiro being booked in the first half.
For his part, Mohamed Ouahbi also reacted to the Brazilian increase in possession. Aware of the need to rebalance the forces in midfield and preserve defensive intensity, the Moroccan coach made several adjustments to the entries into play of Talbi and El Mourabet.
Despite several clear chances on both sides and an intensity that never wavered until the final whistle, neither team managed to find the fault, the score remaining frozen at 1-1.
