Vinícius and Cunha fire Brazil past Haiti and into World Cup contention
Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0, eliminating them from the World Cup. Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha, who scored twice, led the five-time champions to a decisive victory.
In Philadelphia on Friday night, five-time World Cup champions Brazil secured a 3-0 victory over Haiti, eliminating the Caribbean nation from the tournament. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and making its first World Cup appearance since 1974, became the first team guaranteed not to reach the knockout stage.
Matheus Cunha, the Manchester United forward, started the match and justified his place with two goals, proving he should have been in the starting lineup in Brazil's previous 1-1 draw against Morocco. Coach Carlo Ancelotti had surprisingly benched Cunha in the opener, but this time he made the most of his opportunity.
Cunha opened the scoring in the first half by tapping in a rebound after goalkeeper Johny Placide saved Vinícius Júnior's shot. He then doubled the lead with a powerful left-footed strike into the top corner. Vinícius closed the half with a goal of his own, making it 3-0.
Brazil's Raphinha was substituted in the first half due to an injury, and his early goal was disallowed for offside. Haitian fans sang and danced, while Brazilians chanted about Pelé. The match was played before 68,324 spectators at Lincoln Financial Field, home to the Philadelphia Eagles, including nearly 6,000 Brazilian immigrants. Neymar remained sidelined with a calf injury. Brazil will face Scotland in their final Group C match on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
