Brazil 3-0 Haiti: Cunha Brace Fires Brazil Into World Cup Knockout Stage Contention

Brazil finally kickstarted their 2026 World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over a Haiti side that had proved difficult to beat. Goals came from Cunha and Vinícius Jr in the first 45 minutes, with Cunha finding the net twice inside the opening forty minutes.

It was star man Vinícius Jr’s second goal of the tournament as he looks to propel Brazil towards a sixth World Cup triumph. It was a well-taken finish, and it will be interesting to see how much of a threat he continues to be throughout this tournament.

Brazil came with a clear game plan to utilise the space in behind the Haiti backline and spray balls over the top for their pacey attacking players. Raphinha almost found the net twice early on but was unfortunately forced off before half-time with a hamstring injury.

It is not yet clear how serious Raphinha’s injury is, but if it proves to be a significant hamstring issue, it will be a huge blow for A Seleção, as he could miss the remainder of the tournament.

AFC Bournemouth’s Rayan replaced Raphinha, making his World Cup debut. His performance has generated mixed reviews among Brazilian supporters, with many differing in their opinions on his effectiveness during the match.

One major talking point before the game was Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to leave Endrick out of the starting XI. Many Brazil fans had been calling for the young forward to start, with Igor Thiago appearing out of form and lethargic against Morocco in the opening game. Ancelotti instead handed Cunha his first World Cup start and was rewarded almost immediately, with the forward scoring an early brace before being substituted for Endrick on the hour mark.

Unfortunately for Haiti, the defeat sealed their fate and made them the first team eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, shortly followed by Turkey later in the day. Despite an early exit, the Haitians can look back on the tournament with pride after pushing Scotland all the way and avoiding being completely overwhelmed by a strong Brazilian side.

It will be interesting to see whether Brazil adopt a similar style of football against Scotland on the final matchday, as Scotland are another side not blessed with great pace across their backline. The fixture has the potential to be a classic, with both teams desperate for points. Brazil will be eager to secure top spot in the group, while Scotland may require at least a draw to progress to the knockout stages.