Brazil Crush Haiti in Commanding Display as Selecao Reclaim Their Throne

Brazil made it look routine on Halloween night, comfortably beating Haiti 3–0 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in its second World Cup match, reclaiming the top spot in Group C and eliminating Haiti as the tournament's first casualty.

Matheus Cunha got the scoring underway in the 23rd minute, pouncing on a driven effort from Vinicius Junior that glanced off the hands of Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide. Cunha quickly developed a taste for World Cup goals and doubled his tally just 13 minutes later. Once more, the Manchester United forward linked up with his Real Madrid teammate, who threaded a diagonal pass through Haiti's defensive line. Cunha then drilled it with his left foot into the top corner.

It was only a matter of time before the lively Vini Jr got on the scoresheet himself, adding Brazil's third just before the break. He read a long ball from midfielder Lucas Paquetá before charging toward goal and sliding the ball into the bottom right corner.

Brazil now shifts its focus to the group stage finale, a clash against Scotland on Wednesday, looking to wrap things up neatly and clinch first place in Group C.

The One Thing We Can't Ignore

Brazil entered Friday off a thoroughly disappointing display against Morocco the previous week, settling for a 1–1 draw following a sluggish opening that saw the Africa Cup of Nations holders control possession and unleash a flurry of attempts against the South Americans, a spell of dominance that stretched for nearly 30 minutes.

While Brazil gradually clawed its way back and even mounted something of a comeback in the second half, it wasn't enough to claim all three points or leave supporters feeling anything but let down. That mood was further dampened by the news that Neymar Jr., who serves more as the nation's spiritual figurehead than a mere talisman, would be absent for the Haiti fixture, still recovering from an injury that has kept him out for the past month. Neymar wasn't even included in the squad, remaining at the training facility as the team headed to Philadelphia.

Needless to say, Brazil was in desperate need of a lift, and the commanding victory over Haiti delivered just that. Granted, Haiti hadn't featured at a World Cup since 1974 and was never realistically expected to trouble the Seleção. Even so, the South American giants did precisely what was required of a serious tournament contender against a side like Haiti. Brazil controlled proceedings from the first whistle, even if they did allow Haiti some moments of joy, stringing together a few attacking moves inside Brazil's penalty area, particularly toward the end of the match.

Friday's result should serve as exactly the confidence injection the squad requires to navigate the rest of Group C and secure top spot.

Brazil Player Ratings vs. Haiti (4-1-2-3)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Alisson—8.1: Barely had a save to make all evening.

RB: Danilo—7.1: Took the starting berth from Roger Ibañez, who featured against Morocco, and delivered a dependable showing.

CB: Marquinhos—7.4: Afforded Haiti too much room in the box at times, allowing them to conjure up some creative and threatening movements, even if none resulted in shots on target.

CB: Gabriel—7.4: Brought composure to the defensive line and encouraged Brazil to be more measured in possession.

LB: Douglas Santos—7.1: Haiti repeatedly targeted his flank, with Casimir managing to get the better of him on several occasions.

CM: Casemiro—7.7: Contributed a few important tackles from the holding midfield role but remained largely under the radar.

CM: Bruno Guimarães—7.5: Showed some clever interplay with Danilo along the right flank.

CM: Lucas Paquetá—8.1: Far more proactive and influential in midfield. A much-improved performance from the Flamengo star, particularly defensively with nine ball recoveries.

RW: Raphinha—6.0: Found pockets of space behind Haiti's defensive line before departing early.

ST: Matheus Cunha—8.9: Rode the wave against Haiti. (Quite literally — he mimicked surfing in both of his goal celebrations.)

LW: Vinicius Junior—8.5: Brilliantly set up both of Cunha's goals before finding the net himself with minimal fuss.

SUB: Rayan (40' for Raphinha)—6.4: Applied immediate pressure upon entering the field but struggled to make a meaningful impact on the game.

SUB: Endrick (64' for Cunha)—6.1: The crowd erupted when the youngster came on. Struck the back of the net in the 78th minute only to be flagged offside.

SUB: Gabriel Martinelli (64' for Paquetá)—6.4: Provided stability in midfield.

SUB: Éderson (81' for Guimarães)—N/A: Had an attempt on goal within seconds of coming on.

SUB: Danilo (81' for Vini Jr)—N/A: Helped see out the closing stages of the match.

Subs not used: Ederson (GK), Weverton (GK), Alex Sandro, Bremer, Léo Pereira, Roger Ibañez, Fahinho Igor Thiago, Luiz Henrique.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Brazil's Dominant Win