Latin America Sports Daily for Sunday, June 14, 2026

Brazil and Morocco serve up the group stage’s first classic — and share the points

MetLife Stadium held 80,663 people on Saturday evening, and for long stretches of the first half, most of them were very quiet indeed.

Morocco were better than Brazil in the opening period, more organised, quicker in transition, more willing to press high. Brahim Díaz split the Brazilian defence with a ball that made Alisson look exposed, and Ismael Saibari ran onto it and chipped the goalkeeper with the assurance of someone who had been waiting for precisely this moment.

That was the 21st minute. Brazil, the fifth-ranked team in the world, were behind.

They equalised 11 minutes later and it was worth waiting for. Vinicius Júnior exchanged passes with Bruno Guimarães on the left flank, took two touches to create the angle, and rifled a right-footed shot past Yassine Bounou for his 10th international goal.

The second half was the game it had promised to be: two top-ten sides, neither willing to let the other settle, the ball moving end to end, chances falling on both sides.

Alisson saved Brazil in the final minutes with a double stop at 90+9′ from El Aynaoui and then Amaimouni off the rebound that preserved the point.

The result was fair.

Two concerns came out of Saturday that Ancelotti will want to address quickly: Casemiro came off at 37 minutes, very early, suggesting a physical problem, and Danilo followed him off the pitch at 43 minutes. Both substitutions before half-time, on the same night, are unusual and worth monitoring before the Haiti game on June 19.

Neymar was not in the matchday squad.

Brazil have now gone 21 World Cup openers without defeat, including 17 wins.

Scotland top Group C — nobody saw that coming on matchday one

Because Brazil and Morocco drew, and because Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 in Foxborough, the Group C table after matchday one looks like this: Scotland three points, Brazil one, Morocco one, Haiti zero.

John McGinn’s 28th-minute goal, a shot that deflected off a Haitian defender and wrong-footed goalkeeper Johny Placide, giving Scotland their first World Cup win since they beat Sweden 2-1 at Italia 90.

It was also their first World Cup appearance since 1998, and Steve Clarke was visibly moved after the final whistle.

“We obviously have a little less pressure than everyone put on us in this game,” he said with some understatement.

For Brazil, the path to the knockout stage remains entirely straightforward: win the Haiti game on June 19 in Philadelphia and the group is all but secured regardless of Scotland vs Morocco that day.

For Morocco, the same logic applies. Both sides will face each other’s group games on June 19: Scotland vs Morocco in Foxborough, Brazil vs Haiti in Philadelphia.

The two teams meet again in the group stage finale: Brazil vs Scotland in Miami on June 24, Morocco vs Haiti in Atlanta.

Group C is wide open and surprisingly competitive, which is exactly what happens when the draw contains a Morocco side that is genuinely better than most people expected, and a Scotland side that turns out to know how to win football matches.

Australia beat Türkiye — Paraguay’s June 19 clash just became even bigger

Australia beat Türkiye 2-0 to join the United States at the top of Group D, which means that after matchday one, the table reads: USA and Australia both on three points, Paraguay and Türkiye both on zero.

Nestory Irankunda opened the scoring for Australia with a counter-attack finish; Connor Metcalfe drove a stunning effort from outside the box in the second half to put the result beyond doubt.

For Paraguay, the Australian result makes their June 19 matchup against Türkiye in Santa Clara essentially a must-win.

A draw keeps both teams alive going into the final matchday but only barely; a Paraguay win gives Gustavo Alfaro’s side a realistic shot at the round of 32.

Julio Enciso’s fitness is the question that hangs over the Türkiye game; he did not start against the USA, was seen training with the ball before Friday’s match, and his ability to play some role against Türkiye would give Paraguay a different dimension to what they showed in Los Angeles.

Group D matchday 2 (June 19): USA vs Australia in Seattle, Paraguay vs Türkiye in Santa Clara.

Ecuador play Ivory Coast tonight — and South America’s week continues

Ecuador’s 19-game unbeaten run meets its first genuine examination tonight when they face Ivory Coast at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia at 7pm ET.

The Ivory Coast carry quality across the pitch: Franck Kessié in midfield, Sébastien Haller up front, and a defensive block that reached the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final. Ecuador’s answer is collective and physical, built around Moisés Caicedo’s engine in midfield and Willian Pacho’s composure at the back.

A win gives Ecuador daylight in Group E; a draw keeps them safe. A loss would be the shock of the group stage.

The rest of South America’s week from here: Uruguay face Saudi Arabia tomorrow (Monday June 15, 6pm ET, Miami); Argentina face Algeria on Monday June 16 at 9pm ET in Kansas City; Colombia open against Uzbekistan on Tuesday June 17 at Estadio Azteca.

By Tuesday evening, all six South American nations will have played matchday one.

The Knicks are NBA champions — Brunson scores 45 to end 53 years of waiting

NBA

The Knicks were down 16 points in San Antonio on Saturday night, came back, as they have all series, and won 94-90 to claim the NBA championship for the first time since 1973.

Jalen Brunson scored 45 points, including 13 consecutive in the fourth quarter that turned a deficit into a lead that New York would not relinquish.

His 45-point performance was a Knicks Finals record, beating Willis Reed’s 38 against the Lakers in Game 3 of the 1970 series.

Brunson won the Finals MVP, completing a personal story that started with two Villanova titles in Texas and ended at the Spurs’ own arena.

The Knicks won the series 4-1, and every single win involved a comeback from double figures behind.

Game 2 was one point, Game 4 a 29-point comeback (the largest in Finals history). Saturday was 16 points.

Wembanyama had another strong game individually; the Spurs simply could not stop the Knicks from taking turns on the ball until Brunson found his moment.

“I have no words,” Brunson said on the court. “It’s everything I ever dreamed of.”

More: Morocco news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

What happened in Brazil vs Morocco?

Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on June 13 in front of 80,663 spectators. Ismael Saibari gave Morocco the lead in the 21st minute, chipping Alisson with a confident finish after Brahim Díaz split Brazil’s defence with a precise through ball.

Vinicius Júnior equalised in the 32nd, exchanging with Guimarães and rifling past Bounou for his 10th Brazil goal.

The second half was competitive throughout, Alisson preserving the draw with a late double stop. Casemiro (off at 37′) and Danilo (off at 43′) both left before half-time, raising injury concerns for the Haiti game on June 19.

Why is Scotland leading Group C?

Because Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1, the three points Scotland earned from beating Haiti 1-0 in Foxborough put them at the top of the group after matchday one. John McGinn’s deflected shot in the 28th minute was the only goal of the game.

It was Scotland’s first World Cup victory since 1990 and first appearance since 1998; Brazil play Haiti on June 19 in Philadelphia while Scotland face Morocco in Foxborough the same day. If both favourites win, they go level on points ahead of the June 24 finale: Brazil vs Scotland in Miami and Morocco vs Haiti in Atlanta.

How did the Knicks win the NBA championship?

The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 on Saturday June 13 in San Antonio to win their first NBA title since 1973. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points, a Knicks Finals record; including 13 straight in the fourth quarter that turned a 16-point deficit into a lead.

Brunson won the Finals MVP; the Knicks won 4-1, coming back from double-digit deficits in all four wins including the largest comeback in Finals history (29 points, Game 4). It was the Knicks’ third championship in franchise history and their first in 53 years.