Matheus Cunha Makes It Three Goals in Two Games as Brazil Rolls Through Group C

Matheus Cunha is turning the World Cup into his personal highlight reel. The Manchester United forward scored again for Brazil on Tuesday, this time against Scotland in the final group stage match, and it was the kind of finish that makes you wonder why he wasn’t starting from Day One.

Cunha came off the bench in Brazil’s opener against Morocco, a dull 1-1 draw that had people questioning whether Carlo Ancelotti’s squad had the firepower to go deep. Then he got the nod against Haiti and repaid his manager with a first-half brace. Against Scotland, he made it three goals in two starts with a sliding finish past Angus Gunn after Bruno Guimarães slipped him through just before the hour mark.

The 27-year-old didn’t just score. He was a problem all afternoon. Five shots in 75 minutes. Two on target, one cleared off the line. He won both of his dribble attempts and completed 92 percent of his passes. For a guy whose box-score contributions used to be the knock on him, that’s a pretty loud statement.

Here’s the part that United fans back home are loving: the defensive stuff is translating to the national team too. Cunha won all three of his ground duels, two of his three aerial contests, and chipped in with an interception and two clearances. Brazil kept a clean sheet. That’s not just a striker stat line. That’s a guy doing the dirty work while also putting the ball in the net.

Brazil finished top of Group C on goal differential ahead of Morocco. They’re through to the last 32 and won’t know their opponent until the rest of the group stage shakes out. Their next game is scheduled for June 29.

Cunha’s first season at Old Trafford was solid — flashes of the talent that made United spend big to bring him in — but this tournament feels like a different gear. He’s playing with a confidence that wasn’t always there during the Premier League grind. Three goals in group play will do that.

Ancelotti has a decision to make now. Do you keep riding the hot hand? Or do you rotate again when the knockout rounds start? If Cunha keeps playing like this, the manager might not have much of a choice.