Brazil were held by Morocco in a 1-1 draw in their World Cup opener, as Vinicius Junior struck and Alisson produced a late double save to protect a point in Carlo Ancelotti’s first match at the tournament, ending Brazil’s run of opening victories without fully collapsing.

The result extends Brazil’s streak of avoiding defeat in World Cup openers, a run that goes back to a loss against Spain in 1934, while Morocco showed strong credentials by unsettling a side that has topped its first-round group at every World Cup since 1982.

Mohamed Ouahbi’s team began with real intensity, pressing high and attacking directly, as Morocco registered the first four attempts and led the shot count 5-1 inside the opening 10 minutes, which was only the second time since 1966 that Brazil had faced five shots so early in a World Cup game.

That pressure eventually told on 21 minutes, when Brahim Diaz threaded a precise pass into Ismael Saibari, who drifted into the space between Brazil’s central defenders and clipped a delicate finish over Alisson, who had advanced outside the area but could not reach the chipped effort.

Morocco almost struck again soon after the opener, as Achraf Hakimi surged forward and drilled a low shot across goal, with the ball skimming narrowly past the far post as Brazil’s back line struggled to reset following the earlier defensive lapse.

Brazil then responded through Vinicius Junior in the 32nd minute, when Vinicius cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful right-footed strike that flew beyond a static Yassine Bounou, giving Vinicius a standout goal on Vinicius’ 50th appearance for the national team.

Lucas Paqueta nearly completed the turnaround before half-time, meeting a cross from the left flank with an acrobatic volley, but Bounou reacted quickly and pushed the attempt away, maintaining Morocco’s parity at the interval after a breathless first period.

The second half developed at a slower tempo, with Brazil seeing more of the ball and gradually pushing Morocco deeper, yet Ouahbi’s side stayed compact around the penalty area, limiting clear chances despite Brazil’s territory and forcing Ancelotti’s players into attempts from wider positions.

Morocco still carried danger late in the match, and Alisson was required to make a crucial double stop, first diving to block a long-range strike from Neil El Aynaoui and then springing up quickly to deny Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab on the rebound, preserving the 1-1 scoreline in added time.

Morocco’s early attacking wave produced a flurry of attempts, with 12 shots recorded within the opening 30 minutes; that figure exceeded the total shots Brazil had allowed in any of Brazil’s previous six full World Cup matches, though Morocco added only two more efforts, both arriving in the 99th minute.

For Morocco, that display underlined their capacity to challenge Brazil for control of the group, as they maintained discipline after the break and still carried enough attacking threat to worry Alisson, even if the final touch deserted them in the later stages.

Vinicius Junior’s influence remained central to Brazil’s attacking play, with the equaliser marking Vinicius’ 10th goal for the national side, and three of those have now come on United States soil, although Vinicius’ perfect winning record when scoring, which stood at eight games before this fixture, has now ended with this draw.

With Neymar still not fit enough to feature, Vinicius strengthened Vinicius’ claim to be Brazil’s main creative outlet in the final third, yet Ancelotti will know that Brazil’s overall structure requires refinement after the defence allowed Morocco to create so many early opportunities and contest top spot.

The match also continued Brazil’s extended unbeaten sequence in World Cup openers, as the record now stands at 17 wins and four draws since that 1934 defeat by Spain, though this performance offered reminders that such records can be tested when opponents maintain intensity and organisation.

Brazil now turn attention to the second group game against Haiti, scheduled for Friday 19 June at 21:30 (Brasilia time) in Philadelphia, and the coaching staff will weigh up whether to adjust personnel or approach after a demanding first test against the Atlas Lions.