Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi praised his players’ performance but admitted there was a sense of disappointment inside the Atlas Lions camp after their impressive 1-1 draw against Brazil, insisting his team believed victory was within reach against the five-time world champions.
Morocco continued their remarkable rise on the international stage by earning a deserved point against Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil at MetLife Stadium, with Ismael Saibari’s first-half strike canceled out by a Vinícius Júnior equalizer in a pulsating Group C encounter.
While the result strengthened Morocco’s credentials as one of the tournament’s most dangerous sides, Ouahbi revealed afterward that his players were not celebrating the draw as much as many observers might have expected.
“We played a high-level match. We wanted to win, but that’s football,” Ouahbi said after the final whistle.
The Moroccan coach’s comments reflected the growing ambition within a squad that no longer views itself as an underdog against football’s traditional powers. Having reached the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and arrived in North America as African champions, Morocco entered the tournament believing they could compete with any team in the world.
That confidence was evident throughout much of the contest.
Morocco frustrated Brazil with an organized defensive structure, aggressive pressing and swift transitions, often looking the more dangerous side during the opening half. Their reward came in the 21st minute when PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ismael Saibari finished off a well-worked move to give the Atlas Lions a deserved lead.
The goal ended a 28-year wait for Morocco to score in a World Cup opening match and briefly put one of the tournament favorites under significant pressure.
Although Brazil eventually responded through Vinícius Júnior, Morocco never lost their composure and continued to threaten on the counterattack against Ancelotti’s side.
According to Ouahbi, the determination of his players after the match revealed just how much expectations have changed within Moroccan football.
“I felt the players were sad because they wanted the win,” he said.
For many national teams, a draw against Brazil would be celebrated as a major achievement. For Morocco, however, the reaction inside the dressing room suggested a team that believes it belongs among the elite rather than merely competing against them.
Ouahbi also pointed to the demanding conditions in New Jersey as a factor in the match’s changing rhythm after the break.
“In the second half, the tempo dropped due to the heat,” he explained.
The high temperatures affected both teams, with Brazil enjoying more possession after halftime but struggling to sustain the intensity required to break down Morocco’s disciplined defensive block. The Atlas Lions likewise found it more difficult to launch the quick transitions that had troubled Brazil throughout the first half.
Despite that, Morocco defended resolutely and secured a result that further enhanced their reputation as one of the most tactically organized teams at the tournament.
The draw also carried historical significance.
Morocco became the first non-European nation to avoid defeat against Brazil in the South Americans’ opening World Cup match and ended Brazil’s perfect record of opening-game victories against non-European opposition.
Yet Ouahbi’s attention quickly turned toward the next challenge awaiting his side.
Morocco’s second group match against Scotland now assumes enormous importance in the race for qualification to the knockout rounds.
“For the next game versus Scotland, we will look for the three points, Inshallah, as they play differently from Brazil,” Ouahbi said.
His comments highlighted the tactical adaptability Morocco will need as they move from facing one of football’s most attack-minded nations to a Scottish side expected to present a different set of challenges.
The result leaves Morocco well positioned in Group C and reinforces the belief that the Atlas Lions can once again emerge as one of the tournament’s most compelling stories.
While Brazil departed MetLife Stadium facing questions about their performance, Morocco left with renewed confidence, a valuable point and a coach convinced that his players are capable of even more.
For Ouahbi and his squad, holding Brazil was not the ultimate objective.
They wanted all three points.
And judging by their performance, that ambition no longer seems unrealistic.
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