Former national team player of Nigeria Sunday Oliseh weighed Morocco drew 1-1 with Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener, arguing that the African side could have turned their dominance into victory if they had more clinical forwards.
In the Group C encounter at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, Morocco took the lead through Ismael Saibari before Brazil responded through Vinicius Jr., forcing both sides to settle for a point in a close encounter.
Moroccan dominance undone by a poor finish
Morocco controlled large phases of the game and created several clear openings, but failed to capitalize on enough opportunities to punish the five-time world champions.
They registered 14 attempts with just three goals, while Brazil managed five shots from 12 attempts.
Despite their strong structure and attack, Morocco lacked the decisive finishing touch in the penalty area.
Reacting to the performance, Oliseh praised the overall organization of the Atlas Lions, but highlighted their offensive line as a key differentiator.
“Impressive performance from this Moroccan side, well structured defensively and offensively. If this team had Victor Osimhen or Ademolo Lookman like players against Brazil, they could have won three to one at worst,” wrote Oliseh on X.
Brazil escaped with a point as the gaps were exposed
Oliseh also suggested that Brazil were far from their best, despite moments of individual brilliance that kept them in the game.
He singled out the influence of Vinicius Jr and Raphinha, noting that their quality masked wider problems in the team’s overall performance.
“Brazil looks deceptive and thank God they had Vinícius Jr. and Raphinha. I liked the belief and evolution of the Moroccans,” he added.
The result leaves both teams out of Group C, with Morocco set to face Scotland in their next match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
