EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti suggested "nerves" got the better of his players during a dreadful start to their opening World Cup fixture against Morocco as his team settled for a 1-1 draw.
A wonderful VinÃcius Júnior goal salvaged a point at MetLife Stadium. It came after Morocco had dominated the opening 30 minutes and deservedly took the lead thanks to Ismael Saibari's goal.
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"I think it was a tough match, especially in the first half," Ancelotti said.
"Maybe the team was a bit anxious, and the nerves were all over the place. The second half was better, but it was still tough, and I'm sure we'll get better."
VinÃcius also acknowledged the team's poor beginning to the match.
"We started on a really bad note," VinÃcius, who scored his second-career World Cup goal, said through a translator. "For certain, we got to hold on to the ball. We have to move better."
Asked how he can help his players with the mental side of the game ahead of their second fixture against Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday, Ancelotti said he would be analyzing the reasons behind their shaky start against Morocco.
"I think that's something we'll have to look into," he said.
"There's a lot of pressure, so it's natural. Little by little, we'll improve in that sense."
After coming close to losing their opening World Cup game for the first time since 1934, Ancelotti took part in a tense postmatch news conference during which his team selection and tactics were questioned.
But the Italian insisted he was happy with a point and insisted he is still "absolutely" confident Brazil will improve before the knockout stages.
"We have to reassess what we did," he said.
"In the first half, we were very unbalanced. We did a bit better in the second half. The result isn't bad. You don't win the World Cup in your first match.
"I'm not disappointed, but I'm not satisfied, either. We need to work, but that's normal. Morocco played well. They're a solid team, very well organized. It was a difficult game.
"For many different reasons, a debut in the World Cup might not end up as expected. The goal is to qualify, move on to the next round and improve over time."
Brazil star Neymar, recovering from a torn right calf, wasn't available for Saturday's game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
