Brazil finally looked like Brazil. After a shaky start to their World Cup campaign, Carlo Ancelotti’s side put together a dominant first half against Haiti on Friday, with Matheus Cunha bagging two goals to lead them to a comfortable win. The five-time champions now sit alone atop Group C with three points, and they’re suddenly in control of their own path to the knockout round.
Cunha opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a tidy finish from inside the box, then added a second before halftime off a slick through ball that split Haiti’s defense. Vinicius Junior got in on the action too, netting his second goal of the tournament with a curled effort from the left wing. That was basically the game. Brazil could have added more in the second half — they had at least three clear chances — but Haiti’s goalkeeper made a few saves and the post helped out once. The Seleção settled for 3-0 and the three points.
The real story here might be what comes next. Brazil faces Scotland in their final group stage match, a rematch of the 1998 World Cup meeting that ended in a 2-1 Brazil win. Scotland got thumped by Morocco earlier in the day, falling 1-0 to a goal from Bayern Munich-bound Ismael Saibari inside the first 90 seconds. That result puts Morocco on four points and leaves Scotland needing a result against Brazil to have any shot at advancing.
Haiti’s tournament ends early
Haiti is done. They’re mathematically eliminated from advancing after back-to-back losses, making them the first team sent home from the 2026 World Cup. They’ll play Morocco in their final group game, but that one’s for pride only. Morocco needs at least a draw to lock up a spot in the Round of 32, so it’s hard to see Haiti getting anything out of that one either.
For Brazil, the turnaround feels real. They opened the tournament with a disappointing performance — a 1-1 draw against Morocco that left fans grumbling — but Friday’s win showed more of the attacking fluidity people expect from this squad. Ancelotti has been tinkering with the lineup, and Cunha’s emergence as a reliable finisher gives him another weapon up front. Vinicius looks dangerous every time he gets the ball. The defense still has some nervy moments, but against Haiti they weren’t punished.
Group C is shaping up like this: Brazil and Morocco are in the driver’s seat, Scotland needs a result against Brazil, and Haiti is packing their bags. Brazil’s final match against Scotland should tell us whether this team is ready to make a real run or just good enough to get out of groups.
Leave a Comment