Brazil stumbled out of the gates in Group C. A 1-1 draw with Morocco was not the statement you want from a World Cup favorite. Now they face Haiti in Round 2, and the pressure is real to get back on track.
No Neymar again. That much we knew. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed he’s still at the training base working through a right calf injury. So Carlo Ancelotti has to figure out the attack without his most creative piece.
The good news? Brazil’s form before the tournament was strong. They thumped Panama 6-2, handled Croatia 3-1, and squeezed past Egypt 2-1. The only loss was a close 2-1 to France. So the talent is there. The issue is that against Morocco, nothing clicked in the final third.
What changes for Haiti
Ancelotti is expected to shuffle things up. Matheus Cunha looks like the guy to start up top. He’ll have Vinícius Júnior on one wing and Raphinha on the other. That’s a lot of pace and one-on-one ability. The hope is that they’ll stretch Haiti’s defense and create space in the middle.
Casemiro might sit this one out. He’s 34 and played a lot of minutes lately. Fabinho could slide in next to Bruno Guimarães in midfield. That gives Brazil a bit more control on the ball, maybe some different angles to break down a team that will likely sit deep.
Defensively, it’s probably the same core. Alisson in goal. Marquinhos and Gabriel as the center-back pair. The back four will need to stay sharp because Haiti will look to counter. Brazil can’t afford another slow start where they concede early and have to chase the game.
Young guys like Endrick and Gabriel Martinelli are options off the bench. Ancelotti has liked using subs to inject energy late. Don’t be surprised if one of them gets 25 minutes to run at tired legs.
How to watch
The match kicks off at 1:30 a.m. BST on Saturday, June 20. For UK viewers, ITV1 and STV have it live for free. Haiti will be desperate after dropping points in their opener too. Brazil is the better team on paper, but paper doesn’t win games in a World Cup group stage.
A win here puts Brazil in a strong spot. A draw, and suddenly the final group game gets nervy. Ancelotti knows what’s at stake. The lineup tweaks suggest he’s not messing around.
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