A sold-out MetLife Stadium — 82,500 fans draped in gold and green — witnessed a World Cup group-stage classic as Brazil edged Morocco 2-1 in a match that swung on individual brilliance and tactical nerve.

**First Half — Brazil's Flair Breaks the Lock** Morocco arrived with a disciplined 4-3-3 mid-block, Sofyan Amrabat sitting deep to screen the back four and Hakimi given licence to bomb forward on the right. For the first 20 minutes the Atlas Lions frustrated Brazil, forcing them wide and winning second balls with physical intensity. But on 23 minutes, the dam broke. Raphinha, drifting inside from the right channel, slid a perfectly weighted through-ball into the left-hand channel where Vinícius Júnior had timed his run to perfection. One touch to control, one touch to finish — a low, near-post drive that Bounou got a fingertip to but couldn't keep out. MetLife erupted. Morocco's response was immediate and aggressive. Amrabat's crunching challenge on Bruno Guimarães earned him a yellow card on 34 minutes, a booking that would limit his aggression for the rest of the match. Brazil went into the break 1-0 up, xG already 1.3 to 0.4 in their favour.

**Second Half — Morocco's Equaliser and the Tactical Battle** Walid Regragui made no changes at half-time but pushed Hakimi higher, and within ten minutes of the restart Morocco were level. On 55 minutes, Hakimi's overlapping run down the right produced a pinpoint cross to the far post, where Ayoub El Kaabi — the Olympiacos striker who had been a menace all tournament — rose above Alex Sandro and planted a powerful header beyond Alisson. The MetLife crowd held its breath. Casemiro, increasingly stretched in midfield, was booked on 61 minutes for a cynical foul on Ounahi as Morocco threatened to take control. Brazil head coach Dorival Júnior responded by withdrawing the ageing Alex Sandro for Wesley and pushing Paquetá deeper to help Casemiro. The game tightened into a nervy midfield chess match.

**The Decisive Moment — Neymar's Masterclass** With the match delicately poised, Brazil were awarded a free kick 22 yards out after Nayef Aguerd — already on a yellow — hauled down Vinícius Júnior on 74 minutes. Neymar, who had been quiet but dangerous all evening, stepped up. He bent a sumptuous, dipping effort over the wall and into the top-right corner — Bounou rooted to the spot. It was the kind of set-piece that only a handful of players in the world can produce, and it sent Brazil back in front with 12 minutes to play. Morocco pushed desperately for an equaliser; El Khannouss was booked for a frustrated foul on 88 minutes as Brazil's backline — marshalled superbly by Marquinhos — held firm. Alisson made one sharp save from a Brahim Díaz snapshot in stoppage time, but Brazil saw it out. 2-1. Three points. The Seleção are up and running in Group C.