Live updates: Brazil vs Morocco and Qatar vs Switzerland

Live updates: Brazil vs Morocco

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By Simon Smale

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Brazil vs Morocco

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6' Chance for Morocco

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By Simon Smale

That was a really good opportunity.

Neil El Aynaoui on the edge of the penalty area after a cut back from the left side of the byline.

He slipped a little as the ball came to him and that is why the ball didn't come off his boot as well as he would have liked but a really good chance.

4' Brazil chasing shadows at the moment

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By Simon Smale

Morocco are enjoying possession and just testing the Brazilian flanks at the moment.

Not unusual for Carlo Ancelotti to want his team to sit back and watch for the counter opportunities but you never really see Brazil doing so.

There's already been a few challenges flying in from those in yellow.

2' Robust early challenge

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By Simon Smale

Good lord, that was a wild Douglas Santos challenge.

I'm actually surprised that he didn't get a booking for that.

Wild challenge. Let's put it down to nerves.

1' We're underway at Meadowlands

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By Simon Smale

Morocco kick long and deep from the kick off.

They're in their red shirts, green shorts and red socks.

Brazil are in their yellow shirts, blue shorts and white socks.

National anthems

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By Simon Smale

The players are out there and the Brazilian National Anthem is ringing out across Meadowlands.

And now it's the turn of Morocco and their fans are roaring support in the sunshine.

What an atmosphere.

Mascot disguise helps Lima police bust drug dealer

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By Simon Smale

- with AP

Bit of a quirky one while we wait for the second game to kick off.

In Lima, Peru, two police officers disguised themselves as World Cup mascots Clutch and Maple to help to arrest a suspected drug dealer.

Colonel Carlos Alcántara, head of the Green Squadron —a unit that combats common crime — said they captured Carlos Cabrera, 48, with the help of the two undercover agents on Thursday during the opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa.

“Thanks to intelligence work, we realized that this person was a diehard football fan and was caught up in World Cup fever," Alcántara said.

"Therefore, we decided to disguise personnel as World Cup mascots so we could approach him without raising suspicion and apprehend him.”

Incredible footage shows the mascot-wearing officers battering down a gate with a metal sledgehammer before storming a house in the capital.

I mean, it makes you think about who is really inside those mascot suits, right?

This is not unusual for Peruvian police though.

In previous operations, they have disguised themselves as other fictional movie characters such as the Grinch, Freddy Krueger, Deadpool and Wolverine and even Santa Claus to approach those they are going to arrest without arousing suspicion.

I mean, getting arrested by Santa would be a hell of a trip for anyone, let alone a drug dealer.

Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure we saw Deadpool yesterday at a game in Canada...

Morocco well-represented at Meadowlands

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By Simon Smale

Don't sleep on Morocco

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By Simon Smale

Look, I know every casual football fan associates the beautiful game with Brazil.

But under estimate Morocco at your peril.

This is a team that made the semi finals of the World Cup in Qatar.

This is a team that rightly or wrongly won the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

This is a team that has talent coming out of every pore and will be a stern test for anyone, let alone a Brazil team that flattered to deceive in qualifying.

This should be a game of extraordinary quality and I am so ready for it.

Morocco not going to change much in pursuit of World Cup repeat

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By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Morocco come in to this tournament with enormous expectations of their own after becoming the first African side to reach a World Cup semifinal in 2022.

More recently, they were defeated by Senegal in extra time of a contentious African Cup of Nations final.

Later, Morocco were awarded the title by the Confederation of African Football board of appeals because Senegal had walked off the pitch during the contest to protest a controversially awarded penalty during normal play.

But the Atlas Lions have had to make late cuts of two starters - center back Nayef Aguerd and left winger Abde Ezzalzouli - for last-minute injury changes heading into their opener.

Manager Mohamed Ouahbi, who was only hired in March, insisted those would not result in a tactical shift.

"We're not going to change our principles too much," Ouahbi said.

"We've showed very good things and we'll be sticking to our guns. It's not because we are playing a first game of a World Cup that we are going to change everything."

Brazil bringing the colour

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By Simon Smale

Vinicius ready for 'most important' game

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By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Vinicius Jr. does not mince words about what his second World Cup means.

"This is the most important time in my life and in my career," the 25-year-old Real Madrid star said on Friday.

With the aging Neymar formally ruled out vs Morocco with a calf injury that has hampered his tournament preparations, Vinicius Jr. is now decidedly the face of Brazil's national team, one trying to recover from disappointment earlier in the decade.

It's one reason the Brazilian Football Confederation hired his former club coach Carlo Ancelotti to try and correct course for a team that lost the 2021 Copa America final on home soil to rivals Argentina, was eliminated in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals by Croatia and then fell out of the 2024 Copa America to Uruguay on penalties in the quarterfinals.

"Playing with Ancelotti always makes me very confident, because he allows me the freedom and confidence to do [what] I've done with Real Madrid, now playing for the national team," Vinicius Jr. said.

Together, Vinicius Jr. and Ancelotti won two UEFA Champions League crowns, two La Liga titles and the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup.

And it was Vinicius Jr. who scored the first goal for Brazil after Ancelotti took over last May, the only tally in a 1-0 home qualifying win over Paraguay last June that went a long way toward easing nerves in South America's most populous country.

Team news: Brazil vs Morocco

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By Simon Smale

Here's how the teams line up in New Jersey.

Brazil

Interesting news as Igor Thiago will make his World Cup debut up front, alongside Vinicius Jr and Raphinha instead of Manchester United's Matheus Cunha.

Morocco

Midfielder Bilal El Khannouss starts in place of injured Abde Ezzalzouli.

Brazil to be without Neymar

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By Simon Smale

-Reuters

Brazil will be without the legendary striker Neymar for its first World Cup group stage match due to a calf injury, Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday.

"He is working hard to be fit again as quickly as possible," Ancelotti said.

"We hope he can return to full training next week."

Brazil will have a tall task in its opening match against 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco.

The match will be the only one during the group stage that pits two teams currently in the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings as Brazil stands sixth and Morocco eighth.

Neymar last played May 17 in a Brazilian league match for his club Santos as he missed all of Brazil's World Cup tune ups because of the injury.

The Brazilian federation recently said the 34-year-old was making progress.

If Neymar were to make an appearance, he would become the ninth Brazilian to appear in four World Cup competitions - joining an eight-man group that features Pele and Ronaldo.

Neymar has tallied eight goals and four assists across 13 World Cup matches while helping Brazil earn one fourth-place finish and two quarterfinal appearances.

This also marks the third World Cup where Neymar has missed at least one game due to an injury.

"He inspires me," said Brazilian teammate Vinicius Junior.

"I wish him a speedy recovery and I am looking forward to him finally being back on the pitch."

Brazil will be looking to win its eighth game in nine tries against African opponents in the World Cup.

The lone loss came in 2022 against Cameroon.

A remarkable result

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By Simon Smale

My German is not as good as it once was, but Grant Xhaka was interviewed on the pitch after the game by the host broadcaster.

He said that Switzerland dominated the game and deserved to win, but were far too wasteful with the ball.

Murat Yakin said very similar, but didn't look too upset all things considered.

Xhaka looked like he was ready to rip someone's head off though, so there is that.

My Arabic is far worse than my German so I am afraid I can't tell you what Mahmud Abunada was saying. But he looked exhausted.

FT: Qatar steal an unlikely point against Switzerland

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By Simon Smale

Switzerland will rue multiple missed chances as a late Bouelem Khoukhi goal five minutes into stoppage time salvaged an unlikely draw for Qatar in San Francisco.

Breel Embolo scored a penalty mid way through the first half after Mahmud Abunada clattered Remo Freuler in the penalty area.

Switzerland dominated possession, territory and chances on a baking afternoon in California.

The Swiss monopolised the meaningful play, having 26 shots, seven of which were on target and were only not further ahead thanks to the heroics of Abunada.

Qatar looked out of it for the entire second half until Khoukhi's late intervention earned Qatar its first ever World Cup point and ensured all the teams in Group B remained level pegging with a point each after Canada's 1-1 draw with Bosnia Herzegovina yesterday.

90+7' Switzerland has a corner

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By Simon Smale

Will there be even later drama here?

Corner is headed away from the penalty area.

Then Mahmud Abunada punches clear to save the game for Qatar!

90+4' QATAR STEAL AN EQUALISER!

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By Simon Smale

Boualem Khoukhi the centre back!

He's been sent up front for the closing moments of this game and it has paid off!

Switzerland will rue their failure to put this game to bed - it's been a dominant performance.

A gorgeous ball from the left side.

A really, really good header by Boualem Khoukhi to send the ball past the Swiss defence.

Astonishing!

90+1' Chance Switzerland!

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By Simon Smale

That would have sealed it - a delightful teasing cross in front of the keeper and behind the defence by Denis Zakaria after some nice build up play by Breel Embolo with his back to goal.

That should have been met by Fabian Rieder, who stuck his arm up to call for the ball before it came to him, only to then not make a run.