Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterBrazilian football expert Tim Vickery has made a scathing assessment of the Selecao's first 45 minutes at World Cup 2026.Brazil kicked off World Cup 2026 with a shaky first half against Morocco, but somehow went into the break at 1-1 with Vickery speaking at half-time on the BBC.The journalist highlighted exactly why Carlo Ancelotti's side had been so bad, with two half-time substitutes from the Italian.Ismail Saibari nets for Morocco against BrazilThis is precisely why Brazil are so dangerous: how many teams can be that bad and still be in the game? Vickery said. They're playing Whack-A-Mole: Vinicius Jr is papering over the cracks.They're light in midfield, they have nothing down the right, so Raphinha is having to come out to that side. They're trying to find solutions during the course of the game. You may like Brazil vs Morocco prediction, as the Selecao get their campaign started against the AFCON champions How to watch Brazil vs Morocco live streams online and for FREE, with the five-time World Cup winners taking on the AFCON champions. Who are the BBC commentators, pundits and presenters for Brazil vs Morocco? You can never discount Brazil, that individual talent can always hurt you.Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti raised a few eyebrows with his team selection, deploying Roger Ibanez and Douglas Santos at full-back while handing Brentford forward Igor Thiago the starting nod upfront.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The lineup faced an immediate baptism of fire: Morocco completely dominated the opening ten minutes, pinning the Selecao deep into their own penalty area and forcing them onto the back foot.The North African side were so firmly in control that by the 11th minute, their fans were already taunting the Brazilians with ringing Ole chants for every completed pass.Despite being thoroughly outplayed early on, Brazil should have broken the deadlock against the run of play, when Thiago squandered a golden opportunity, failing to make contact with a pinpoint Vinicius Jr cross only for Ismael Saibari to net a stunning lob over Alisson when Brahim Diaz played him through on goal.That goal sparked the Brazilians into life, and shortly after the hydration break, Vinicius Jr had his first golden moment of the tournament with a stunning goal.Lucas Paqueta could well have struck a second for the Selecao when his scissor kick was saved, with the resulting cross spinning past the head of any oncoming yellow shirt.Have Brazil been that bad? Tell us in the commentsTOPICSMoroccoBrazilWorld Cup 2026World CupMark WhiteSocial Links NavigationContent EditorMark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robsons time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.
