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Inter Milan Reaches Italian Cup Quarterfinals

Inter Milan's Kristjan Asllani (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the 2-0 goal during the Italian Cup soccer match between Inter Milan and Udinese at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 19 December 2024. EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
Inter Milan's Kristjan Asllani (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the 2-0 goal during the Italian Cup soccer match between Inter Milan and Udinese at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 19 December 2024. EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
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Inter Milan Reaches Italian Cup Quarterfinals

Inter Milan's Kristjan Asllani (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the 2-0 goal during the Italian Cup soccer match between Inter Milan and Udinese at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 19 December 2024. EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
Inter Milan's Kristjan Asllani (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the 2-0 goal during the Italian Cup soccer match between Inter Milan and Udinese at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 19 December 2024. EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

A much-changed Inter Milan side eased to a 2-0 victory over Udinese in the Italian Cup on Thursday.
Marko Arnautović and Kristjan Asllani netted in the first half to help Inter set up a quarterfinal match against Lazio — the team it routed 6-0 in the league on Monday. Inter coach Simone Inzaghi made eight changes to that side, The Associated Press reported.
The match was briefly halted shortly before halftime when a spectator collapsed in the stands. The fan was immediately treated as the stadium fell into silence and the players looked on, clearly concerned.
A defibrillator had to be used before the fan was carried out on a stretcher to the applause of the San Siro crowd. The fan was reportedly stable in the hospital.
When play resumed after a delay of more than five minutes, the Udinese players still seemed distracted as Asllani’s corner from the left evaded everyone and went in off the far post.
That put Inter 2-0 up as it had broken the deadlock in the 30th minute following an Udinese error. A hideous pass from visiting midfielder Jurgen Ekkelenkamp was straight at Mehdi Taremi and he fed in Arnautović, who slotted into the bottom right corner.
Taremi hit the post in the second half, while Inter also had an early penalty revoked on review.
Teenage defender Mike Aidoo came on two minutes from time for Inter for his professional debut.

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Coach Ouahbi Confident in Morocco's Future after 1-1 Draw with Brazil

Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi gestures during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi gestures during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
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Coach Ouahbi Confident in Morocco's Future after 1-1 Draw with Brazil

Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi gestures during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi gestures during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

Morocco are hungry to go beyond the semi-finals at the World Cup, coach Mohamed Ouahbi said after his side earned a 1-1 draw with powerhouse Brazil in their opener on Saturday.

Ouahbi had said ahead of the match that Morocco were prepared to shed their underdog image, four years after they knocked out Spain and Portugal to become the first African team to reach the final four in Qatar.

While their fans were outnumbered at the sold-out New York New Jersey stadium, Morocco gave them ⁠plenty to cheer ⁠for with a strong performance against the five-times champions.

Ismael Saibari gave Morocco the first-half lead against the disjointed Brazilian team on Saturday, before Vinicius Jr levelled it in the 32nd minute.

Second-half substitutions brought "freshness" to the team as mistakes began to pile up in the ⁠intense contest, Reuters quoted Ouahbi as saying.

"I don’t know if 20% of the crowd were Moroccans, but we could hear them very loudly. If it was only 20%, they fooled me into thinking there were many more of them there," said Ouahbi. "I hope they had great fun watching a good match tonight, and I hope this will continue."

"For the future of Moroccan football, we are confident. We drew; we’re happy. I’m not sad. We would have wanted to ⁠win, obviously, ⁠but I’m not sad," said Ouahbi. "What I’m really proud of is that we’re bold enough to play and ask for the ball under pressure. This is a great quality that we have."

The draw sees the two teams each earn one point with Haiti playing Scotland in the second Group C match on Saturday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

"I want to go beyond the semi-finals but it was a good match," Ouahbi told reporters. "One is good enough and we'll improve."

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Brazil Manager: 'Nerves Were All Over the Place' in Opening Morocco Draw

Brazil's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti greets Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP)
Brazil's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti greets Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP)
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Brazil Manager: 'Nerves Were All Over the Place' in Opening Morocco Draw

Brazil's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti greets Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP)
Brazil's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti greets Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP)

World Cup pressure can get to anyone. Even Brazil.

That was Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti's explanation for an uneven first- half performance by the five-time World Cup champions, who nonetheless rode Vinicius Junior's 32nd-minute leveler to a 1-1 draw against Morocco in both teams' Group C opener on Saturday evening.

"I think the team was a bit anxious in the beginning," said Ancelotti, who himself was managing his first match at a World Cup despite a career that includes a record five UEFA Champions League titles as a manager. "Nerves were all over the place. (We) didn't keep a lot of ball possession. In the second half, it was a lot better, but it was still tough, and I'm sure the team will do better in the next match."

Indeed, Vinicius' equalizer came ⁠decisively against the ⁠run of play for the Selecao, despite enjoying a majority of the support in the first match of the tournament played at the 80,663-capacity MetLife Stadium.

The Selecao's performance improved after halftime, during which Ancelotti pulled off Casemiro and Roger Ibanez in favor of Fabinho and Danilo.

But there remained a sense of unease at the final whistle even from Vinicius, who was undoubtedly his nation's best player.

"We've got to ⁠hold on to the ball," said the 25-year-old Real Madrid star. "We've got to move better. ... But I don't think there's a lot to say now. I think we really have to improve."

Even the usually easy-mannered Ancelotti sounded on edge at a couple lines of questioning, including whether he opted for changes quickly enough.

"There were two substitutions in the 45th minute and another in the (61st) minute," Reuters quoted him as saying said. "Do you hear what I'm saying? Two substitutions at 45th minute and another substitution at the (61st) minute. I don't think we lost any time when it comes to substitutions."

Ancelotti refused to criticize Casemiro or Ibanez directly, or express regret for fielding ⁠them in his ⁠starting XI. At age 34, Casemiro is out of contract at Manchester United and rumored to be leaving Europe. Ibanez plays in the Saudi Pro League.

"Those were good players," Ancelotti said. "I think I made the right choices, and I will not take any criticism about the individual players that started the match. I think there's criticism to the entire team that didn't play well during the first half."

A potential saving grace, at least for the rest of group play, is that Saturday's match was easily Brazil's toughest Group C test on paper. Morocco is seventh in the FIFA/Coca Cola World Rankings, only a single spot behind No. 6 Brazil.

Scotland is 37th and Haiti is 84th. Those two faced off Saturday night in the first World Cup match for either team since 1998 for Scotland and 1974 for Haiti.

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Scotland Marks 28-year World Cup Absence with 1-0 Victory Over Haiti

TOPSHOT - Scotland's midfielder #07 John McGinn celebrates with teammates defender #02 Aaron Hickey and midfielder #19 Lewis Ferguson after scoring his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Haiti and Scotland at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 13, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Scotland's midfielder #07 John McGinn celebrates with teammates defender #02 Aaron Hickey and midfielder #19 Lewis Ferguson after scoring his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Haiti and Scotland at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 13, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
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Scotland Marks 28-year World Cup Absence with 1-0 Victory Over Haiti

TOPSHOT - Scotland's midfielder #07 John McGinn celebrates with teammates defender #02 Aaron Hickey and midfielder #19 Lewis Ferguson after scoring his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Haiti and Scotland at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 13, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Scotland's midfielder #07 John McGinn celebrates with teammates defender #02 Aaron Hickey and midfielder #19 Lewis Ferguson after scoring his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Haiti and Scotland at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 13, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

John McGinn deflected a shot off an opposing defender and past goalkeeper Johny Placide in the 28th minute, and Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 in Group C of the World Cup on Saturday.

The Scots, making their first appearance in the tournament since 1998, earned their first World Cup victory since 1990, when they beat Sweden 2-1.

Group favorites Brazil and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw earlier in the day, putting Scotland at the top of the group standings.

Haiti, whose only other World Cup appearance was in West Germany in 1974, is still in search of its first World Cup point.

McGinn’s goal came off a rebound from Che Adams’ miss in the box that bounced off Placide and into open space. McGinn’s shot ricocheted off a defender from 13 yards out.

Scotland’s Tartan Army supporters were out in mass, creating a wave of red inside a filled in Gillette Stadium, located about 30 miles outside Boston, The Associated Press reported.

Scotland came close to a goal in the 17th minute when captain Scott McTominay got loose and fired a shot that clipped the top of the post.

Haiti had its best opportunities in the second half. In the 74th minute, Ruben Providence sent a cross in to Wilson Isidor, but the forward came up empty on his attempt to direct the ball in.

Then in the 84th, Frantzdy Pierrot’s header went a wide of the left side.

Scotland stays in town to play Morocco at Gillette Stadium on Friday. Haiti will next face Brazil on Friday in Philadelphia.