Brazil's juggernaut rolled on at the World Cup, steamrolling Haiti 3-0 to seize top spot in Group C. And what a joyous sight it was for the Samba boys! Matheus Cunha stole the show in the first half, netting two goals with finesse and flair, while Vinícius Júnior chipped in with a strike that left Haiti's defence grasping at air. The five-time champions were simply on fire, their attacking game clicking into gear after being stuck in neutral against Morocco.
The hosts exploited Haiti's defensive Achilles' heel – their high line was like a magnet for Brazil's pacey forwards Cunha, Raphinha, and Vinícius Júnior. The latter duo proved particularly troublesome, their interplay creating chaos behind the Haitian defence. Raphinha might have had an early goal, but the offside flag was raised to deny him. Later, he again went close, only for the flag to be raised once more. However, Brazil's superior firepower told in the 23rd minute when Cunha pounced on a rebound after Vinícius Júnior's inch-perfect curler was parried by Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide. The Brazilian ace then doubled his tally just 13 minutes later, unleashing a thunderbolt of a shot that left Placide with no chance.
The first half was an object lesson in Brazil's attacking prowess – a masterclass from which the Haitian defence couldn't recover. But, like all good things, it came to an abrupt halt when Raphinha limped off injured, his hamstring issue leaving manager Dorival Júnior with a major concern.
Vinícius Júnior then sealed Brazil's dominance with a clinical finish in stoppage time, tapping home Lucas Paquetá's perfectly weighted pass past the stranded Placide. Haiti's hopes of a miracle comeback were left dangling by a thread as the teams trudged off at half-time.
But it was a different story in the second half – Haiti had their moments, with Wilson Isidor forcing Alisson into a spectacular save and Ricardo Adé seeing a header blocked on the line. Alisson's heroics denied Haiti their first World Cup goal since 1974, keeping Brazil's clean sheet intact.
Brazil's victory will send shockwaves through the tournament – and not just because of the scoreline. The injury to Raphinha is a major worry for manager Dorival Júnior, while the introduction of youngsters like Rayan and Gabriel Martinelli in the second half showed that Brazil have depth and options aplenty.
Source: The Guardian