Brazil climbed to the top of Group C with a commanding 3-0 victory over Haiti at the Philadelphia Stadium on Friday. Matheus Cunha scored twice in the first half before Vinicius Junior added a third on the stroke of halftime as Carlo Ancelotti’s side secured their first win of FIFA World Cup 2026 and all but booked their place in the knockout rounds. The defeat, Haiti’s second in as many matches, also made them the first team to be mathematically eliminated from this year’s tournament.
Haiti signalled their intent early when Carlens Arcus was booked in the fourth minute for a challenge on Vinicius. Brazil, however, quickly settled into their rhythm and began creating openings through the left flank, where Vinicius and Douglas Santos consistently stretched the Haitian defence.
The breakthrough arrived in the 22nd minute. Vinícius cut inside and curled an effort towards goal, forcing Johny Placide into a save. The rebound dropped into a crowded six-yard box, where Cunha reacted quickest to force the ball over the line.
Brazil doubled their advantage 13 minutes later through a devastating counter-attack. Casemiro won possession with a crunching tackle before Vinícius surged forward and slipped a perfectly weighted pass into Cunha’s path. The striker did the rest, firing an off-balance left-footed effort into the roof of the net.
ALSO READ | From Futsal Courts To World Cup Spotlight: Five Things To Know About Brazil’s World Cup Hero Matheus Cunha
Ancelotti was forced into an early change when Raphinha picked up an injury and made way for 19-year-old Rayan in the 39th minute. The substitution did little to disrupt Brazil’s flow.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Lucas Paquetá floated a superb pass over the Haitian backline and Vinícius raced through before calmly slotting past Placide to make it 3-0 at halftime.
Haiti emerged with greater purpose after the break following a halftime double substitution and enjoyed some of their best moments of the match. Brazil, though, remained in control and introduced Gabriel Martinelli and Endrick shortly after the hour mark to manage workloads ahead of their final group fixture.
Brazil thought they had a fourth goal in the 78th minute when Endrick finished neatly after being played through by Rayan, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Despite the scoreline, Haiti continued to fight. Wilson Isidor forced Alisson Becker into a smart save late on before the Brazil goalkeeper produced another important stop in stoppage time to deny Dominique Simon and preserve his clean sheet.
The victory leaves Brazil level on four points with Morocco but ahead on goal difference at the top of Group C. Scotland sit third on three points, while Haiti’s second successive defeat means they become the first team to be mathematically eliminated from FIFA World Cup 2026.
Brazil will face Scotland in a decisive final group-stage fixture, while Morocco take on Haiti, with both matches scheduled to be played simultaneously on June 24.
ALSO READ | Morocco vs Scotland Highlights: Ismael Saibari Scores Fastest Goal Of FIFA World Cup 2026 In 1-0 Victory
Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
