World Cup: Brazil and Switzerland Stumble, Scotland Wins
The second round of group games delivered surprises. Favourites Brazil and Switzerland could only draw, while Scotland and Australia claimed wins that shook up the tables.
- Brazil drew 1-1 with Morocco in Group C, Vinicius Junior levelling after Saibari's opener
- Switzerland were held to a 1-1 draw by Qatar in Group B, Embolo scoring a penalty, Khoukhi equalising
- Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 and Australia thrashed Turkey 2-0 in Vancouver
- After round two the favourites are under pressure while the underdogs are breathing down their necks
The Brazil bench fell silent in the seventieth minute. The head coach stood with his arms folded, struggling to believe his side was the one chasing an equaliser against Morocco. The stands, awash in yellow, waited for a goal that took its time. When it finally arrived the stadium exhaled, but the relief carried a bitter taste. A draw for a favourite always feels like a defeat.
The second round of group games at the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, wrote a day of upsets. Two names that arrived with the badge of certain qualifiers dropped points, while teams carrying smaller expectations bared their teeth. This is how drama is made at major tournaments, when the table refuses to fall into line with the script written in advance.
The numbers
In Group C, Brazil and Morocco shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Morocco took the lead through Ismael Saibari, a goal that briefly froze the supporters of the five-star side. The reply came from Vinicius Junior, whose equaliser spared Brazil a far heavier afternoon. A point, but no peace of mind, because a performance like this raises questions for the rest of the group.
Switzerland told a similar story in Group B. Breel Embolo gave them the lead from the spot, but Qatar refused to fold. Boualem Khoukhi levelled for 1-1 and handed Qatar a precious point against the stronger side. The Swiss are used to defending stubbornly and stealing wins, yet this time they came up short.
The day belonged to those who started as underdogs. In Group C, Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 thanks to John McGinn’s goal in the twenty-eighth minute. One clean strike was enough for three points and a climb up the table that changes the maths. Australia went a step further. In Vancouver they ran over Turkey 2-0, with goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, the Socceroos sending the message that they have not come to this World Cup to make up the numbers.
What next for the favourites?
After a round like this, the calculations have grown complicated. Brazil and Switzerland now have no room for another slip, because Scotland and Australia have stepped to the front of their groups with three points each. When an underdog takes a full win, it does not only open its own door, it changes the arithmetic for everyone in the group. A favourite that wasted its chance must make it up, and pressure rarely sits comfortably at major tournaments.
Vinicius and Embolo dragged their sides out of the worst of it, but escaping is not the same as dominating. Brazil will need to show more than a single flash in the next round, and Switzerland will have to find one extra goal when it matters. Scotland and Australia, meanwhile, have the luxury of playing with freedom, which at tournaments like this is often more dangerous than any favourite’s label.
The second round laid bare what makes major championships so compelling. The names on the shirts do not decide points, goals and courage on the pitch do. The next set of group games will tell us whether the favourites’ draws were merely a stumble or the first sign of a longer decline. Do you believe Brazil and Switzerland will lift their level in time, or have the underdogs already rewritten the rules of this World Cup?
