Morocco rode the wave of their historic 2022 World Cup semifinal run, defeating Brazil 2-1 in Tangiers on March 25 in an international friendly.
With about 10 minutes remaining, substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri roofed a loose ball in the Brazil box, and the Atlas Lions defense did the rest to secure a well-deserved victory.
READ ALSO: Morocco bids 2030 World Cup co-hosting rights with Spain and Portugal
The Moroccans took the lead in the first half thanks to a well-executed attack capped off by Sofiane Boufal’s classy, spinning move in the box. However, an uncharacteristic error by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou on a Casemiro shot saw Brazil equalize 1-1 in the second half.
Morocco simply outplayed their South American opponents in terms of sharpness, aggression, intensity, and directness. They were fueled by a sold-out crowd that made the first match after their fourth-place finish in Qatar memorable.
Brazil was missing a number of injured players and was clearly not at their best, but they did create a number of chances. Their front three, however, struggled to convert, and Bounou made timely saves throughout their World Cup run. Brazil also had a goal disallowed due to an offside infraction by Vinicius Jr.
However, given that the Atlas Lions advanced further than Brazil in the World Cup, the outcome may not be entirely unexpected. The Brazilian team was eliminated on penalties in the quarterfinals, while Morocco became the first African team to reach the semis, where they were defeated by France in a close match.
Brazil’s head coach, Tite, left after the World Cup, and the Selecao had an interim manager in Morocco, Under-20 national team coach Ramon Menezes. Walid Regragui, the architect of the historic World Cup run, saw his team continue to perfect their signature playing style, turning biting defense into piercing attacks, and eventually got the upper hand.
Brazil had only one international match scheduled during the month of March. Meanwhile, on March 28 in Madrid, the Atlas Lions will face another South American team from Peru.
Morocco vs Brazil final score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Morocco | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Brazil | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Goals:
MOR — Sofiane Boufal (Bilal El Khannouss) — 29th min.
BRA — Casemiro (Lucas Paqueta) — 67th min.
MOR — Abdelhamid Sabiri (Walid Cheddira) — 79th min.
Lineups:
Morocco lineup (4-5-1): 1-Bounou (GK) — 2-Hakimi (25-Attiah Allah, 52′), 5-Aguerd, 6-Saiss (capt.), 3-N. Mazraoui — 7-Ziyech, 8-Ounahi (11-Sabiri, 64′), 4-Amrabat, 23-El Khannouss (13-Louza, 64′), 17-Boufal (16-EZ Abde, 77′) — 19-En-Nesyri (21-Cheddira, 77′)
Brazil lineup (4-3-3): 12-Weverton (GK) — 2-Emerson Royal (9-Alberto, 92′), 3-Militao, 14-Ibanez, 6-Telles — 8-Andrey Santos (20-Veiga, 64′), 5-Casemiro (capt.), 7-Paqueta — 22-Rony (21-Antony, 64′), 10-Rodrygo (19-Roque, 64′), 11-Vinicius Jr
