“Matheus Cunha scores and Brazil leads the group after victory against Haiti.”

Matheus Cunha scored twice as Brazil crushed Haiti, sealing without mercy the first elimination of the 2026 World Cup. The canarinha team dispelled all doubts and criticisms that lingered after the opening draw with Morocco and confidently took the lead in Group C – delivering a commanding performance on the pitch in Philadelphia that left the Haitians without answers and already out of the competition.

The forward from Manchester United was the undisputed star, scoring two goals and energizing the entire Brazilian attack. With Carlo Ancelotti making changes to the lineup and opting for Cunha instead of Igor Thiago, the response could not have been more immediate: in the 23rd minute, the Brazilian opened the scoring, taking advantage of an unfortunate incident involving defender Hannes Delcroix, who, under pressure, ended up kicking the ball against Cunha, deceiving Haitian goalkeeper Johny Placide. But that was not all: shortly after, he was in the right place again when Placide parried a shot from Vinícius Jr back into play, and Delcroix, flustered, failed to clear the ball.

THE 2026 WORLD CUP IS EXPERIENCED WITH LEGO

Cunha’s second goal was pure class. Vinícius Jr found his teammate with a masterful pass, and Cunha fired into the top corner, leaving Placide with no chance, at 36 minutes. The Brazilian dominance became even more evident during first-half stoppage time when Lucas Paquetá – former midfielder for West Ham – set up Vinícius Jr with a sublime long pass. The star of Real Madrid remained calm and, with complete composure, beat Placide, adding his second goal of this World Cup.

Despite the offensive festival, not everything went well for Brazil. Raphinha, the Barcelona winger, left the match injured before halftime and was replaced by Rayan from Bournemouth, causing some concern on Ancelotti’s bench. However, superiority was never in doubt, and in the second half, even goalkeeper Alisson had to shine by denying a goal to Ricardo Adé, who headed dangerously after a corner.

Young Endrick, the sensation of Brazilian football, celebrated what would have been his first goal in World Cups, but VAR ruled it out for offside, delaying the celebration for the 17-year-old prodigy. On the Haitian side, there was disappointment and a mathematical farewell to the tournament – they can no longer catch Brazil or Morocco in the standings, and even if they equal the points of Scotland, they lose on head-to-head with the British.

In the end, Matheus Cunha emphasized the team spirit and expressed satisfaction in responding on the pitch to the doubts: “We knew we had to give a strong response, and that’s what we did. Now we want to continue to grow.” Vinícius Jr, who scored another goal, praised the quality of the squad: “We have players capable of deciding at any moment. The important thing is to maintain this mentality.”

The coach Carlo Ancelotti, visibly more satisfied, highlighted the offensive effectiveness: “It was a convincing performance. We created many opportunities and were effective. We lost Raphinha, but the group showed it is ready to react to all adversities,” he stated during the press conference.

On the Haitian side, the coach lamented the defensive errors and the difference in pace: “We knew it would be difficult, but we gave everything we had. Brazil was very strong and took advantage of every opportunity.”

This victory places Brazil in a prominent position to secure qualification for the round of 16, while Haiti departs the competition with heads held high, but without any points. The pressure is now on Morocco and Scotland, who will have to fight each other to move forward. For the Brazilian team, the convincing performance serves as a navigational warning: after an initial scare, Ancelotti’s men are back on track as favorites – and the dream of a sixth championship is reborn with renewed strength. In the upcoming matches, attention will focus on the recovery of Raphinha and the integration of young Endrick, who promises to fight for a place among the starters.

NOW YOU CAN FOLLOW THE WORLD CUP WITH ALL THE INFORMATION – HERE