CASEMIRO suffered the embarrassment of being hooked at half-time – as Brazil’s brave new world got off to a sticky start in the sultry US heat.
The veteran midfielder, who ended his Manchester United stay only last month, was the first World Cup victim of the Carlo Ancelotti era as he paid the price for a shocking first half display.
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Vinicius Jr rescued a draw for Brazil in their opening game against Morocco Credit: Getty
Brazil met stern resistance in the form of Achraf Hakimi and Morocco, who reached the semi-finals four years ago in Qatar Credit: AP
Casemiro was hooked off at half-time by Carlo Ancelotti Credit: Getty
Casemiro looked every one of his 34 years, treading water and given the run-around by the North Africans before his misery was cut short.
At least he was on the pitch when a piece of magic by Vinicius Jr rescued the Samba side, after Ismael Saibari had superbly put Morocco ahead.
But Casemiro, playing against ex-United team-mate Noussair Mazraoui and who watched another Old Trafford man, Matheus Cunha, fail to make much of an impact off the bench, might wonder how many more chances he will get on the greatest stage.
Of course, you don’t need to be a good team when you’ve got some GREAT players.
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And maybe Ancelotti will work the same magic at Brazil that he did, time and again, for Real Madrid.
Yet at the MetLife Stadium on the outskirts of New York where the world champions will be crowned next month, it needed that moment of mastery by Vini Jr to ensure the men in canary yellow did not get knocked off their perch.
After all the ructions of the past few weeks, Neymar was not even fit enough to take his place on the bench for Brazil.
They might want to rush him back.
Ismael Saibari gave Morocco a deserved lead in the first half Credit: Getty
Morocco celebrate taking the lead against Brazil in their Group C game Credit: AP
Vinicius Junior leveled the scoring for Brazil Credit: Getty
The winger cut inside and fired into the top corner to drag Brazil level Credit: AP
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This year’s World Cup will be like no other as a record-breaking 48 nations compete to lift football’s biggest prize.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is hoping to finally bring football home after a 60-year drought.
But footballing legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have other plans in what will likely be their final World Cup appearance.
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Then again, if you have Raphinha and Vini Jr starting and Rayan and Gabriel Martinelli on the bench, you’re not exactly short of wide options.
This was very much Brazil with a Premier League flavour.
Five of Ancelotti’s starting side – Liverpool’s Alisson, Arsenal defender Gabriel, Casemiro, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes and Igor Thiago – finished the season in England, with ex-West Ham man Lucas Paqueta also selected.
Yet for half an hour, before Vini Jr turned up, Brazil were, frankly, terrible.
Sloppy in possession, where Paqueta and Casemiro barely found a yellow shirt between them, awful defensively in the middle, exposed on the right – Roger Ibanez was not exactly an advert for the strength of the Saudi Pro League – and toothless up front.
Only Morocco’s initial reluctance to shoot prevented them from being properly punished – although Igor Thiago surely had to make proper contact with Vini Jr’s lovely cross.
But just before the first hydration break, the North Africans had a deserved lead.
PSG teammates Marquinhos and Achraf Hakimi put their club friendship aside for the game Credit: Getty
Neymar was not fit to start the game, but made the matchday squad Credit: Reuters
New York/New Jersey Stadium was a sea of yellow and red as Brazil and Morocco Credit: Getty
Brazil fans sing the national anthem before kick-off in New Jersey Credit: Reuters
Brahim Diaz was allowed to find the space despite three yellow shirts in close proximity inside the centre circle before he slipped a glorious angled pass between Marquinhos and Gabriel.
For once, the Arsenal strongman was caught on his heels as Saibari streaked clear and with Alisson too far off his line – and a little outside the box – the beautiful lofted finish left the Liverpool keeper for dead as it bounced into the net.
Even Don Carlo, suited and booted in the technical area, might have been tempted to raise an eyebrow.
Thankfully for Ancelotti, who made full use of that three-minute time-out, he does have the Real Madrid superstar, whose equaliser was a thing of exquisite beauty.
There seemed little danger when he took a return ball from Bruno Guimaraes on the left of the box.
But Vini Jr stepped inside the covering Neil El Aynaoui and thrashed an unstoppable stunner into the far corner. Glorious, simply glorious.
Paqueta did extend keeper Yassine Bounou with an acrobatic volley in stoppage time yet Morocco would probably have been kicking themselves not to go in ahead.
Ancelotti acted, hooking Casemiro and Ibanez, with former Liverpool man Fabinho and ex-City defender Danilo coming on, bringing far more stability – but not much actual threat.
Brentford frontman Igor Thiago, still looking for his first competitive international goal, stung Bounou’s fingers at the start of the second period but was replaced on the hour by Cunha.
Brazil’s only other real chances, though, saw Raphinha – fed by Vini Jr – and then in added time substitute Danilo Santos each scuffing straight at the keeper, before Alisson made a late scrambling stop from El Aynaoui.
Food for thought for Carlo. Real concern for Casemiro. And something for Scotland, too.
