Brazil Back On Track: Vinicius, Cunha Fire Selecao Past Haiti In 3-0 Rout

Last Updated:June 20, 2026, 08:06 IST

Brazil shrugged off their opening-game frustration with a commanding win over Haiti as Matheus Cunha struck twice and Vinicius Junior starred in a dominant display.

Brazil finally delivered the response Carlo Ancelotti wanted.

After an underwhelming draw against Morocco in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener, the five-time world champions looked far more like themselves on Friday, sweeping aside Haiti 3-0 in Philadelphia to revive their Group C campaign.

The Selecao dominated from the opening whistle, pinning Haiti deep inside their own half and creating chances almost at will. Raphinha thought he had opened the scoring early, only for VAR to rule the effort out for offside, but it was a warning of what was to come.

Brazil’s relentless pressure finally paid off in the 23rd minute. Matheus Cunha bundled the ball into the net after a chaotic scramble in the box, with a fortunate deflection helping the forward beat Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide.

Haiti struggled to escape their defensive shell as Brazil continued to dictate possession. Cunha struck again in the 36th minute, finishing a lightning-fast counterattack after being released by Vinicius Junior. The Wolves forward rifled his shot into the top corner to double Brazil’s advantage.

The only concern for Ancelotti came shortly before halftime when Raphinha took a heavy fall and was substituted as a precaution. Brazil, however, barely missed a beat.

Deep into first-half stoppage time, Lucas Paqueta floated a delightful ball over the top for Vinicius Junior, who burst through Haiti’s defence before calmly slotting home to make it 3-0.

Haiti Show Fight After The Break

Despite trailing heavily, Haiti refused to disappear.

The Caribbean side produced its best spell after halftime and nearly pulled one back in the 63rd minute when Ricardo Adé powered a header on target from a corner. Alisson made an excellent save before Brazil completed a crucial goal-line clearance.

Brazil eased off the accelerator in the second half but still looked dangerous whenever they surged forward. Vinicius and Gabriel Martinelli combined brilliantly midway through the half, with Martinelli rattling the crossbar, although the move was eventually ruled offside.

Teenager Endrick also found the net late on, only to see his goal chalked off for offside.

By full-time, Brazil were comfortably in cruise control, securing a convincing first win of the tournament and putting their World Cup campaign firmly back on course.

Haiti, meanwhile, were left to reflect on another brave but ultimately outmatched performance — and they now crash out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

About the Author

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

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