Brazil and Morocco played out a 1-1 draw in the first ⁠heavyweight clash of the World Cup on Saturday, with the African side confirming their potential while exposing familiar weaknesses in their opponents at a sold out New York/New Jersey stadium.

Ismael Saibari gave Morocco a deserved first-half lead before Vinicius Jr produced a moment of brilliance to restore parity, ensuring the points were shared in the opening Group C match.

The result leaves the group finely balanced ahead of Haiti’s meeting with Scotland later on Saturday in the other group fixture.

For Morocco, semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, the performance offered further evidence they can challenge the game’s traditional powers.

However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were left with questions to answer after a disjointed display where they were repeatedly stretched by their opponents’ ‌pace and movement.

Having called this tournament “the most important time in my life and in my career” on Friday, Vinicius Jr played like it, at the center of nearly everything the Brazilians ‌did well going forward.

That included a precious equalizer that came against the run of play.

From the left side of the penalty area, the Real ⁠Madrid star played a quick one-two with Bruno Guimaraes, cut in on his right foot against ‌the defending Neil El Aynaoui, and then from just beyond the corner of the ⁠six-yard box, ‌unleashed a powerful right-footed strike that left lunging goalkeeper Yassine Bounou little chance.

Vinicius Jr already matched his goal tally from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Morocco started brightly, then went in front just as it appeared Brazil might have weathered the early ⁠onslaught.

With his back to goal, Brahim Diaz took a pass at midfield, turned and immediately fed it forward ⁠to Saibari as he surged on a run at the space between Brazil’s center and right backs.

The PSV Eindhoven attacker reached it and chipped the charging Alisson with his first touch for a superb first career World Cup goal.

Bounou made four saves, including one on a Danilo Santos shot right at him inthe third minute of second-half stoppage time. Alisson finished with two saves, including a ‌point-blank stop in the ninth minute of stoppage time to keep the game level.

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