The most impressive game of the 2026 World Cup finals to date was also, from a Scottish perspective anyway, the most concerning.
The kilt-swirling, bagpipe-playing, doe-a-deer singing supporters who have descended on Boston in their tens of thousands and drunk the bars dry in recent days will have found watching the Group C game between Brazil and Morocco to be a sobering experience.
Every Tartan Army footsoldier was well aware that getting results against the sixth and seventh placed sides in the FIFA World Rankings would be tricky for their beloved national team when the draw was made back in December.
But the enormity of the challenge which faces Steve Clarke’s men in their second and third games in the United States was driven home to them during the course of 90 magical minutes in the New York New Jersey Stadium late last night and early this morning.
Read more:
- What Scottish football fans forgot amid outcry over Celtic penalty award at Fir Park
- Reasons for FIFA snubbing Scotland's top referees for the World Cup finals revealed
- A final snub, a sinister plot and a Vatican visit: Scottish referees at the World Cup
The South Americans and their African rivals showed their class in front of an 80,663-strong crowd at the venue which will host the final on Sunday, July 19.
There have been suggestions this week that the Atlas Lions, who stunned the football world by reaching the semi-finals at Qatar 2022, may struggle to replicate their heroics of four years ago.
Forward Abde Ezzalzouli and defender Nayef Aguerd, both regular starters, were replaced in the squad after failing to recover from injuries and that was seen as a major setback.
Morocco did not take very long to dispel those doubts. They quickly took control of proceedings and put the five-time champions on the back foot with their brave, slick, cohesive and pacey brand of entertaining and attacking football.
They finally took the lead with one of the goals of the tournament so far. Brahim Diaz, the Real Madrid winger, played a perfectly-weighted through ball in between opposition centre-back Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes from inside the centre circle in his own half despite being surrounded by three yellow jerseys.
Ismael Saibari, the PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder who was named Player of the Year in the Eredivisie last season, showed why he is on the verge of a €53m move to Bayern Munich by dinking the pass over advancing goalkeeper Allison.
If they can make mugs of Arsenal, Real and Liverpool players with such ease what are they going to do when they come up against Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry and Angus Gunn at the Miami Stadium later this month?
At that stage, Brazil looked like they were going to be on the receiving end of one hell of a beating. This was the dysfunctional side that had struggled badly in qualifying. But you write off A Selecao at your peril. They regrouped and dragged themselves back into the match.
Igor Thaigo, the Brentford striker who was given the nod up front in a 4-2-3-1 formation, should have done far better when Vinicius Jnr chipped to him in the Morocco penalty area. He failed to connect with the delivery.
Vini took matters into his own hands soon after. He cut past Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi and lashed an unstoppable shot beyond Bono and into the top right corner from an acute angle. Lucas Paqueta nearly put his side ahead in added on time at the start of the first half.
Read more:
- Celtic's final day punishment is too lenient - the SPFL must get tough on fan unrest
- World Cup '26 tipped to inspire a new generation of Scotland footballers by icon
- Alex McLeish reveals the Kenny Dalglish trick that made John McGinn a Scotland icon
Their manager Carlo Ancelotti, though, was clearly unimpressed with what he had witnessed during the opening 45 minutes. Yes, their had been a few moments of individual brilliance. But their rivals had been by far the better team.
Don Carlo made two substitutions immediately after half-time. He replaced right-back Roger Ibanez right-sided central midfielder Casemiro with Danilo and Fainho respectively. His replacements had the desired impact. Brazil competed far better after that without ever really looking like snatching victory.
The 1-1 draw suited Scotland. But the magnitude of the task that lies ahead of them was obvious throughout this compelling encounter. It will be a surprise if Brazil or Morocco lift the World Cup this summer. There are far better international teams in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Still, they showed their undoubted quality in their opening outing.
Ancelotti is one of the greatest managers of all time and his charges are sure to improve as the competition progresses with him at the helm. His opposite number Mohamed Ouahbi was taking charge of his first competitive match as manager having only been appointed in March. But the Belgian-born coach also showed his tactical nous.
Andy Robertson and his team mates have often been at their best in the past when their prospects of prevailing have been written off – but they will have to be at their very best against the Pot One and Pot Two sides in Group C or they will struggle.
Brazil have issues in midfield, at full-back and down the entire right flank. Morocco, meanwhile, struggle to break down opponents which set up with a low block. Neither of them is perfect, both of them are fallible. Still, they have an abundance of talent in their ranks and are more than capable of running riot given half a chance.
