Has Vinicius Jr brilliance just papered over the Brazilian cracks?

ByNeil Johnston

BBC Sport journalist at New Jersey New York Stadium

"I am not here to be the best player of the tournament," said Vinicius Jr on the eve of Brazil's opening World Cup game.

"I am here to help Brazil get back to the top."

And the supremely talented forward backed up his words on the pitch at the New Jersey New York Stadium.

Trailing Morocco 1-0 and looking decidedly second best, the five-time world champions got back on level terms thanks to a moment of brilliance by Vinicius on the biggest stage of all.

Receiving the ball on the left side of the penalty area from Bruno Guimaraes' pass, the Real Madrid forward cut back inside on to his right foot before lashing a brilliant strike into the roof of the net.

It was a goal fitting for the World Cup, an outstanding moment of quality which dug his side out of a huge hole - and saved Brazil from losing their first opening game at a World Cup since 1934.

Yet they were unable to go on and seal an opening win in Group C, with the match ending 1-1 after what former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC Sport was a "ragged" Brazil performance.

South American football expert Tim Vickery, speaking to BBC Sport, added: "Ideally you want the team to make the stars, here you have a case of the star saving the team."

Brazil fans worried by this performance should remember that this expanded World Cup - more than any other - is a marathon not a sprint.

Remember Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia in their first game in Qatar four years ago - and then going on to be crowned world champions?

Brazil, seeking a first World Cup triumph since 2002, are still expected to progress to the knockout stage, and have Haiti next in Philadelphia on 19 June followed by Scotland in Miami on 24 June.

However, there will be concern that they looked second best to Morocco for long spells, devoid of the swagger we have come to expect from the nation that produced legends such as Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zico.

This squad, however, is overloaded with wingers and is lacking numbers in midfield.

Casemiro, 34, showed his age as he toiled in the heat before he was replaced at half-time as Morocco dominated without adding to the lead given to them by Ismael Saibari.

Defender Roger Ibanez also failed to return to the pitch in the second half as Carlo Ancelotti attempted to address the team's shortcomings.

"We were expecting more from them," former Uruguay and Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet told BBC Sport.

"I was surprised how bad technically they were today. I don't know if it was the pitch, maybe the pitch didn't help but they were missing passes, simple passes that you would expect the Brazilian players to do well."

Vickery added: "This is precisely why Brazil are so dangerous. How many teams can play that badly and still be in the game? It's the individuality."

At the age of 67, this was Ancelotti's first game as a head coach at a World Cup.

"This is a beautiful moment for me," said the five-time Champions League-winning boss on the eve of the match.

In the end he was forced to apologise following his team's lacklustre performance in the stifling New Jersey heat.

"I am sorry we didn't play as well as we hoped," said the Italian in his post-match media conference.

The Italian - the first overseas coach to lead Brazil at a World Cup - was brought in after a poor qualifying campaign which saw Brazil's place at the tournament thrown into serious doubt after the team only won three of its first eight qualifiers.

The five-time world champions qualified in the end but not before suffering six defeats in 18 games on the way to finishing fifth in the South American qualifying table.

Their latest indifferent performance will only serve to raise more questions than answers.

"This is the first match of the World Cup," Ancelotti said. "It wasn't a bad result but we will keep picking up.

"We have to do better, that's very clear. We have to have a more balanced team and we have to be more aggressive.

"I am not disappointed but I am not satisfied either. Not everything goes perfect and we have to accept criticism."

Vinicius' goal was a moment of breathtaking beauty we have come to expect from the outstanding talent.

Will he kick on and write his name into Brazilian folklore?

"The expectation was for him, by now, to have become the Selecao's leading figure," said Brazilian football expert Marcus Alves.

"Yet, four years on from a penalty shootout exit against Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, doubts remain around him."

However, there can be no doubting the quality of his goal here - his 10th for Brazil, with three of those coming on US soil.

"This is where Vinicius Jr comes into his own," former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC One.

"He was quiet in the game, of course he was, but you can't criticise players like this on the big stage.

"He cuts in, smashes it past Bono. What a moment."

Vinicius talked on Friday about how this was "the most important time in my life and career".

"I feel great freedom and sincere trust from Ancelotti. He is sure I can do for the national team what I do for Real Madrid," he added.

"I want to try to write the history of the country and the national team. We must do everything to win."

Brazil came up short against Morocco.

Failure at this tournament, after a 24-year title drought, would lead to serious questions about how the most successful team in World Cup history moves forward.