World Cup 2026 Saturday takeaways: Group B chaos, Brazil-Morocco showdown and more

Canada and Qatar meet in Vancouver, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland play in Los Angeles.

The Reds and the Maroons met previously in a 2022 friendly, which Canada won, 2-0. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland have also only met once previously, with Bosnia and Herzegovina winning, 2-0, in March 2016.

Morocco can repeat 2022 run

Four years ago, Morocco made history as the first African country to reach the semifinals of the World Cup, eventually finishing fourth in the tournament breakthrough. On Saturday, it began its 2026 quest in the lone group stage match pitting two squads inside the top 10 of the FIFA world rankings and held its own against established global power Brazil.

Morocco, ranked seventh in the world, played Selecao, No. 6, to a 1-1 draw, showing enough promise for another potential extended World Cup run.

The Atlas Lions took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute when Brahim Diaz found Ismael Saibari with a lead pass between Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães, and Saibari lofted a shot over goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who had raced to the top of the box.

Morocco led in expected goals, 1.52-1.23, and duels won, 61-51. It came out hot despite losing the possession battle — 54 percent to 46 percent — in the first half, leading in total shots (12-6) and expected goals (1.28-0.86), before Brazil took more control following intermission.

Vini Jr. delivers

Vinicius Junior was a major bright spot for Brazil, scoring for the 10th time in 50 national team matches on a beautiful equalizer 11 minutes after falling behind.

Junior raced to the ball in space inside the box, dribbled for a better angle on goal and ripped a shot past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The 2024 best FIFA men's player's impressive start was the best thing to come out of the World Cup opener for Brazil, which needs more of that going forward to reassert its place in soccer's international hierarchy.  

Ayyoub Bouaddi increases price tag

A month ago, Bouaddi chose between France and Morocco for which nation he'd represent at the World Cup, landing on the latter. The decision was an instant hit, with the 18-year-old defensive midfielder delivering an incredible performance in his World Cup debut.

Per ESPN FC, he had a 91 percent pass accuracy, and Fotmob data shows he also won 9-of-14 (64 percent) ground duels. Bouaddi, who plays for Lille in Ligue 1, added five defensive contributions (four tackles, one clearance) while leading all Moroccan midfielders in touches (87).

Before Saturday's World Cup opener, Sky Sports reported that both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have shown interest in adding Bouaddi this summer as a transfer.

According to Transfermarkt, he has a current value of 50 million euros, but that might be underestimating things. The longer Morocco hangs around and Bouaddi has opportunities to put impressive displays on tape, his price tag should only escalate. Through three days of the World Cup, few players have been bigger winners.

A Scottish celebration 28 years in the making

Scotland made its triumphant return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 this year and celebrated with a goal in its opener, a 1-0 win over Haiti to put it atop Group C with three points.

John McGinn's 28th-minute goal may not have been as visually appealing as the one Scott McTominay, who nearly had Scotland's first 2026 World Cup goal when his earlier shot went off the post, made in the qualifying clincher against Denmark last November that eventually ended up on a banknote, but it will still live on for years in Scotland national team lore.

The ball found McGinnin off a deflection from Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide, and he fired a shot off the bounce that hit a Haitian defender before reaching the net.

The only Group C team to eke out a victory in its first match, Scotland, which has never made it out of the group stage in eight previous World Cup appearances, has put itself in a solid spot of being one of the 32 teams to reach the knockouts. If so, McGinnin's goal may one day find itself on currency, too.