LOS ANGELES: Five-time winners Brazil roll into the World Cup on Saturday when they play surprise 2022 semifinalists Morocco in one of the standout group-stage matchups. On the first day featuring four matches at a tournament expanded this year to 48 teams, Scotland return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and take on debutants Haiti in Boston. In other games, 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar play Switzerland in Santa Clara before Australia take on Turkiye in Vancouver to close out the day. Co-hosts the United States launched their home World Cup in emphatic fashion Friday, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 to delight a star-studded 70,000-strong crowd in Los Angeles that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise and David Beckham. On Saturday, all eyes will be fixed on Brazil in New Jersey. The Selecao might not be the force they once were, but they remain one of the most glamorous draws in world football. Carlo Ancelotti has been drafted in to try to end the Brazilians’ 24-year wait for another global crown. Ancelotti, making his World Cup debut as a coach, says he is convinced he has a team capable of competing with the very best. “It’s a new experience, it’s a new responsibility to represent the country of football,” the Italian said on Friday. “We have a team that can compete with every team in the world, we’re convinced of that.
