Danilo says Brazil must ditch denial after Morocco wake-up call

MORRISTOWN, New Jersey, June 17 : Brazil defender Danilo said on Wednesday that his side must look their World Cup wobble squarely in the eye after Morocco gave Carlo Ancelotti's side a bruising reminder that famous yellow shirts and old certainties do not win matches by themselves.

Brazil face Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday needing a response after opening Group C with a troubling 1-1 draw against Morocco, rescued by a flash of individual brilliance from Vinicius Jr after Ismael Saibari had put the African side ahead in a first half that left Brazil rattled and pinned back.

The result increased scrutiny on Italian Ancelotti, whose decisions to start striker Igor Thiago and right back Roger Ibanez drew criticism, while midfielders Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta struggled to impose themselves before halftime.

Danilo, Fabinho and Matheus Cunha helped Brazil improve after the break, leaving Ancelotti with a familiar tournament puzzle: stick with his starters for cohesion or shake the bottle and see if something fizzes.

"Every team has a core group of players," Danilo told a press conference on Wednesday. "There are six, seven or eight players who are first-team regulars and always play. And there are three or four players who are always rotated depending on the match, the opposition and the strategy.

"That's how football is played these days; strategies always change according to the opposition."

Ancelotti kept his team secret until two hours before kickoff against Morocco, but Danilo said that was part of the modern game, even if not every player enjoys the suspense.

"Today we've probably got 80 per cent of the team sorted for Friday's match, and there are three or four players who are still up in the air," he said.

Then came a smile