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.

The English national team is still a few days away from their World Cup opener, but it has already been an eventful tournament for them after some of their equipment was stolen while en route to the team’s training base in Kansas City.

The Three Lions start their tournament slate on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas, against Croatia, but their base of operations for the tournament will be Kansas City’s Swope Soccer Village.

According to the BBC, the plan was to move equipment into place before the team arrived on Saturday; however, some of the vehicles moving that equipment were broken into. The theft is believed to have happened at some point on its journey from Florida to Kansas City.

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England’s Noni Madueke and Harry Kane train on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP via Getty Images)

Police responded to the theft on Friday night, and while footwear was among the items stolen, none of the missing equipment was considered essential for the team to play.

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“We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening,” a Kansas City Police spokesman said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Well, the investigation panned out, because the equipment was eventually recovered and two arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

The English national team poses for a photo before their final match before the World Cup on June 10 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, FL. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

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England follows up their match against Croatia in Arlington with a match in Boston against Ghana on June 23. They will then finish up their group stage slate with a match against Panama in New Jersey.

The team is expected to make it out of the group stage and possibly even win the group.

Brazil and Morocco shared the points in a thrilling 1-1 draw in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Ismael Saibari and Vinicius Junior scoring the goals at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. While the result leaves both teams well placed in the group, the match produced several major talking points.

Brahim Diaz Shows Why He Can Be Morocco’s World Cup Hero

Before the tournament, many wondered whether this could be the World Cup of redemption for Brahim Diaz following his painful Panenka penalty miss at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Morocco playmaker answered those questions with a moment of pure quality. His perfectly weighted through ball split the Brazil defence and sent Ismael Saibari clear on goal for the opening strike.

It was a pass that combined vision, precision and confidence against one of the strongest teams in world football. If Morocco go deep into the tournament, this assist could be remembered as one of the defining moments of their campaign and an early contender for assist of the tournament.

Morocco Make History While Brazil Continue a Troubling Trend

The opening goal was significant for more than just the scoreline.

Morocco became the first Moroccan team to score against a South American nation at a FIFA World Cup. Their previous meetings ended in 3-0 defeats to Peru in 1970 and Brazil in 1998.

The goal also highlighted a growing concern for Brazil. The five-time world champions have now failed to win any of their last four World Cup matches after conceding the first goal. The last time Brazil came from behind to win a World Cup match was their 3-1 victory over Croatia in June 2014.

Despite their wealth of attacking talent, Brazil once again struggled to turn possession into a winning performance after falling behind.

Vinicius Junior Delivers a Moment of World-Class Quality

When Brazil needed inspiration, Vinicius Junior stepped forward.

For much of the opening half-hour, the Real Madrid star was largely kept quiet by Morocco’s disciplined defence. However, world-class players often need only one moment to change a game.

Receiving a pass from Bruno Guimaraes on the left side of the penalty area, Vinicius cut inside onto his right foot before unleashing a stunning strike into the roof of the net.

It was a finish of the highest quality and a reminder of why he is regarded as one of the biggest stars at this World Cup. The goal not only rescued a point for Brazil but also announced that Vinicius is ready to play a leading role in his country’s quest for a sixth world title.

While the match ended level, both teams left the stadium with positives. Morocco proved once again that they can compete with the world’s best, while Brazil were reminded that individual brilliance can still make the difference when the pressure is at its highest.

With Brazil floundering during an alarming first half of their World Cup 2026 opener against a slick and bold Morocco, Carlo Ancelotti desperately looked around for a saviour. Enter Vinicius Jr and a piece of exquisite skill to delight a sea of yellow inside this New York bowl and ignite a flawed Selecao in their pursuit of a sixth star.

Their wooden midfield, with Casemiro’s redemption at Manchester United obscured upon sporting that famous canary, and imposters at full-back enough to make Cafu and Roberto Carlos shudder, Vinicius Jr’s mercurial talent shone a light on why the heart of this tournament’s greatest team still beats.

A laser from the left side of the penalty area that pierced the top right corner of Bono’s net led to an eruption of joy and relief in equal doses. Bruno Guimaraes, also uncomfortable around the snapping Moroccan midfielders, placed an imperfect pass into space. Vinicius Jr reset, gathered and then sent a shiver down the spine of Neil El Aynaoui. Unable to stop the inevitable dance inside, Vinicius Jr brought parity, but also underlined Ancelotti’s ongoing struggle to find balance.

This entire mission under Ancelotti, a first foreign manager of this proud nation, is the “rumo ao hexa,” or chasing the sixth, with parallels between this year’s quest and the triumph in 1994. And not merely due to the USA hosting both tournaments. With a 24-year drought between the legendary 1970 side and the overspill of emotion from those penalties in Pasadena, it has now also been 24 years since Ronaldo guided a side that gifted the world “joga bonito”.

That particular philosophy has long since disappeared; no longer the fabulous entertainers of the past, irresistible at their best and able to overwhelm opponents. That is why echoes of 1994 resonate. There, a Brazil side also flawed, but leaning on the ruthless Romario and Bebeto, covered up the cracks just enough, and grew into a tournament. Here, across 104 total matches and 48 teams there will be an opportunity to do just that.

The wildcard to this Selecao might still be Neymar Jr: a nation of 220 million coaches, Romario once said, that particular decision might be scrutinised a little more if Brazil fail to fire this summer.

Ancelotti is known to resist coveting a “clear identity,” and his Brazil made that apparent against the African champions, for now, with Senegal determined to reverse that status through Cas.

Ancelotti has talent, but confessed that “without talent you cannot win but balance is also very important,” and that remains the unanswered question here, with the ambitious approach from former Under-20s boss Mohamed Ouahbi offering an immediate fright to his opponents.

Brazil’s aforementioned glaring weakness at full-back saw Roger Ibanez exposed early and often. A stern examination from Bilal El Khannouss led to the crowd wincing at every twist and turn. And the rampaging Noussair Mazraoui overlapped nicely to leave the Al-Ahli defender sprawling.

The cut-back bobbled across to El Aynaoui and the finish lacked conviction in an early reprieve for the Selecao.

Then Azzedine Ounahi shifted the ball and angle on the edge of the penalty area; Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta’s desperate, chopping challenges exemplified how uncomfortable Brazil looked.

But Vinicius Jr’s sparkle offered a threat, regardless, with Achraf Hakimi beaten for pace. Igor Thiago failed to capitalise on the chance supplied by the winger or the moment, after being handed the starting centre forward jersey at a World Cup for the five-time winners.

A rare moment of danger from Brazil was soon erased by Morocco, who exposed the Selecao’s hapless shape. Brahim Diaz floated the ball in behind from deep, allowing Ismael Saibari to race past Gabriel Magalhaes and delicately lift the ball over Alisson Becker.

El Khannouss then opened up Brazil again, but Hakimi failed to capitalise after driving into space in yet another dangerous counter-attack. A trend that could hand Ancelotti some restless nights before future tests against Haiti and Scotland.

Hakimi boldly declared Morocco were “The Brazilians of Africa” ahead of the tournament and it was easy to see why, with Diaz’s little flick opening up the Selecao once more, but Saibari failed to connect cleanly and handed his side a hard truth at this level.

Morocco’s profligacy was punished with the ultimate cheat code: Vinicius Jr. His crisp finish brought an undeserved equaliser.

The second half failed to live up to the breathless pace of the first. Morocco wilted to show why Brazil will remain dangerous as this tournament unfolds.

The No 7’s pace could emerge as one of the fiercest weapons at this tournament, too, particularly in conditions like those in New Jersey, as temperatures reached 30C. One particular counter-attack saw a dragged finish from Raphinha stand between lift-off for a partnership that could match that of Romario and Bebeto on the biggest stage.

Danilo Santos dragged a finish in the closing stages and El Aynaoui’s bending drive was spilt by Alisson with Ayoube Amaimouni’s rebound smothered in a late scare. Those efforts were the first shots on goal for the Africans between the 31st and 99th minute. The points shared, but the pursuit of balance will define this Brazil and right now it has deserted them.

The 2026 World Cup continues over the weekend with a Group D matchup between Turkiye and Australia. It’s a 9 p.m. local time start in Vancouver on Saturday, so it will officially be an early Sunday morning kick in Eastern Time. Turkiye have a powerful offensive squad that is expected to push host USA in the group, while Australia will look for another strong World Cup showing after advancing to the Round of 16 in Qatar in 2022.

The latest Turkiye vs. Australia odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list Turkiye at -145 (risk $145 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line, with Australia at +430 and a draw at +270. The over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before making any Australia vs. Turkiye picks, check out the predictions from SportsLine’s Jon Eimer.

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, the FA Cup, and much more. He’s been red-hot on his soccer betting picks in 2026, posting a 31-13-2 record and returning over $1,200 of profit on his Champions League picks. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.

Now, Eimer has studied Turkiye vs. Australia and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for Australia vs. Turkiye:

Top Turkiye vs. Australia predictions

After examining Australia vs. Turkiye from every angle, Eimer is leaning Over 2.5 total goals. The Turkish side have some high-end European talent, including Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz. Eimer envisions Turkiye being one of the more aggressive offensive teams in the field, and believes they are not a team that will slow down often — potentially leading to opportunties on both end of the pitch

“Frankly I think Turkiye will score early in this match, forcing Australia to play a higher press to fight back, leading to more goals. Australia won’t go down without a fight, and we should have an exciting fixture on our hands. See Eimer’s best bets for Turkiye vs. Australia at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Australia vs. Turkiye at FanDuel here:

How to make Australia vs. Turkiye picks

After studying this matchup from every angle, Eimer has found some critical x-factors and locked in three best bets that you absolutely need to see. You can head to SportsLine to see them.

So what are the best bets for Australia vs. Turkiye? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Turkiye vs. Australia, all from expert on an 31-13 roll on UCL picks, and find out.

Former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, who most notably defeated Lennox Lewis in 2001, has given a damning verdict on Tyson Fury’s future in the sport.

‘The Rock’ scored a stunning fourth-round finish over Lewis for the WBC and IBF titles, only to lose their immediate rematch via an eighth-round stoppage.

At the age of 53, Rahman is now gearing up for a comeback fight on July 14, though an opponent is yet to be announced for his six-rounder at New York’s ESL Ballpark.

His last professional outing saw him lose to little-known opponent Anthony Nansen in 2014, yet Rahman seemingly believes he is capable of surpassing George Foreman by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in history.

Whether he can do so, it remains to be seen, but the American clearly feels he stands a greater chance at claiming a piece of silverware than the 37-year-old Fury.

In fact, Rahman has gone as far as to suggest that ‘The Gypsy King’ had his career beaten out of him by Deontay Wilder, who he also believes is significantly over the hill.

Speaking with B4 Champ, Rahman suspects it was their trilogy showdown, in particular, that caused both heavyweights to suffer considerable wear and tear.

“I just think Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury beat [their] careers out of each other – they left their careers in that trilogy. It’s over for both of them.

“You’re never going to see that prime Tyson Fury [again]. It’s over. [He’s] done.”

Fury won his third encounter with Wilder via an 11th-round knockout, but was made to overcome two knockdowns and several spells of adversity when they collided in October 2021.

Based on his performance against Arslanbek Makhmudov, who he unanimously outpointed in April, Rahman believes this Wilder fight was where Fury’s career might as well have ended.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gautam Gambhir (Agency Image)

Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz credited India head coach Gautam Gambhir for helping him refine his batting approach after producing a stunning century against the hosts in the opening ODI at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday.Gurbaz was the standout performer in Afghanistan’s innings, blasting 102 off just 51 deliveries. His explosive knock featured eight fours and eight sixes and marked his ninth ODI century. However, despite his heroics, Afghanistan were bowled out for 194 in 24.5 overs as no other batter managed to make a significant contribution.Speaking after the innings, Gurbaz revealed that a conversation with Gambhir following Afghanistan’s heavy 300-run defeat in the one-off Test at Mullanpur had played a key role in his preparation.“After the Test match, I had a very good conversation with Gautam Gambhir sir (and) that discussion really helped me,” Gurbaz told the broadcaster.The Afghanistan opener explained that he had specifically approached the India coach to seek advice on improving his batting decisions.“I worked on those ideas in the nets, and I’m very grateful for the guidance. When the Test match ended, I told him that I wanted to improve my shot selection,” he said.According to Gurbaz, the suggestions from Gambhir were straightforward but effective, and he was able to put them into practice during his match-winning innings.“He shared some positive ideas and I was able to apply them today. I just tried to play positively and it worked for me,” the right-handed batter added.While Gurbaz dominated the Indian attack, Afghanistan struggled to build partnerships around him. India’s debutants, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey, made an immediate impact, sharing six wickets between them. Brar returned figures of 3/27, while Dubey claimed 3/47 to help bowl Afghanistan out inside 25 overs.Reflecting on his approach, Gurbaz said the shortened format encouraged positive intent, but insisted he remained focused on playing his natural game.“The approach was very simple and easy, just to play positive cricket. We knew it was a 25-over game, but I know my game as well. I just backed myself and played for the team,” he said.The 24-year-old added that representing Afghanistan remains his biggest source of motivation and described the century as a reward for the effort he has invested behind the scenes.“It was nice to contribute. It’s always nice to do something for your country and make everyone proud. I trust my training and preparation. I work hard, and this innings is the result of that hard work.“Scoring a hundred against India in India is special, but as I mentioned, it’s the reward for the effort I’ve put in.”

Shemaine Campbelle finishes unbeaten on 90 as West Indies chase down 163 to beat defending champions New Zealand by seven wickets in Southampton in their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

READ MORE: West Indies beat holders New Zealand in thriller

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