PHILADELPHIA — In front of a sold-out crowd of 68,324, Brazil started the process of getting things back on the right track with a 3-0 victory over Haiti in the 2026 World Cup group stage, but it’s a game that brings more worries than answers for Carlo Ancelotti as he looks to live up to the immense pressure that comes with managing the Selecao. The joy of Matheus Cunha’s brace was cancelled out by an injury to Raphinha as a game that started brightly for Brazil led to an uncomfortable finish. It’s also a match that saw Haiti become the first team eliminated from knockout contention due to already losing to Scotland.
Haitian fans started off the match cheering clearances like they were Jose Mourinho, but against a team with as much attacking talent as Brazil, that can only last so long. A first-half brace for Matheus Cunha vindicated Ancelotti’s changes, bringing the Manchester United man in for Igor Thiago and Danilo in for Roger Ibanez.
It took 23 minutes for Cunha to break through Haiti’s defense, but the second that happened, the floodgates opened in the match, with Brazil pouring it on and surfing their way through the game, but despite the crooked score, it could spell doom for their chances when it gets to the knockout stages of the tournament.
In the 40th minute, Raphinha was subbed out of the match with a non-contact injury, being replaced by Rayan. While it wasn’t a vintage performance with Raphinha getting a goal ruled out for being offside and failing to officially create a chance, the best attacking line for Brazil right now is Raphinha, Vinicius Junior, and Matheus Cunha, but losing part of that trio puts too much pressure on the others, and it showed in the second half.
Ancelotti said Raphinha will get tests Saturday for his injury and that Neymar is on track to be with the team for Scotland with the Santos start set to train next week with the team.
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As the goals dried up, the Brazilian fans also got quieter; Vini Jr. pressed too much, leading to missed chances, and the carefully curated balance that Ancelotti needs for this squad to play to their potential went down the drain. The crowd erupted as Endrick put the ball in the back of the net, only to cut their celebrations short when the offside flag went up on the chance. Just like Brazil’s day, it was the right process that ended up yielding the wrong result.
It’s clear that this is a flawed squad as they play with 25 men while hoping that Neymar can play a part in this tournament, but even with those flaws, chances went begging for Brazil that a cohesive unit would’ve taken care of. Now, on four points, Brazil are almost assured a place in the knockouts of the tournament, but unless they can iron out these issues, it will be a swift end to the World Cup once they get there.
There will be one more chance for tweaks in the final match of the group stage, as Brazil will face Scotland on June 24 with a chance to win the group.
