PHILADELPHIA — Matheus Cunha struck the back of the net and struck a pose, bringing scoring — and a dash of surfing — to the World Cup stage for Brazil.
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Vinícius Júnior scored and assisted on one of Cunha’s two goals as five-time champion Brazil eliminated Haiti from the World Cup with a 3-0 victory on Friday night.
“To be at a World Cup, to imagine that, it can be so wonderful,” Cunha said. “It’s a dream fulfilled.”
Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation that qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, became the first team guaranteed not to reach the knockout round of the expanded 48-team tournament. Meanwhile, the Seleção got the decisive performance they needed.
“It was what I expected from this match,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Ancelotti also said Neymar is expected to return from a right calf injury and play for Brazil next week against Scotland in its final group match. Neymar, Brazil’s career scoring leader with 79 goals, missed the first two games.
Brazil got plenty of scoring punch from Cunha on Friday.
The Manchester United standout got the start and showed with every surf-and-slide goal celebration why he should have been in the starting lineup in Brazil’s listless 1-1 draw against Morocco. Ancelotti made the surprising decision in the opener to instead insert Cunha as a late substitute.
Cunha thrilled the Brazilian fans who made up the bulk of the 68,324 spectators at Lincoln Financial Field when he tapped in a rebound for his first career World Cup goal. He then sent a left-footed strike into the upper left corner for a 2-0 lead in the first half against the overmatched Haitians.
Brazil forward Raphinha, who was subbed out with an injury in the first half, had an early goal disallowed on an offside call that only temporarily muted the yellow-clad Seleção fans in an otherwise festive atmosphere at the home of the two-time Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles — whose cheerleaders did their part to rally the crowd.
Haitian fans danced and sang “Grenadye Alaso” (“Grenadiers to the Attack”), the traditional battle cry of the national team. Brazilians chanted back with reminders that their country is a five-time World Cup champion and the home of the king of soccer: “A thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals! Only Pelé, only Pelé!”
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Cunha added to the frivolity in Philadelphia, home to nearly 6,000 Brazilian immigrants, when he flashed his familiar surfing celebration.
Vinícius, whose 32nd-minute goal helped Brazil earn the draw against Morocco, helped Brazil get on the board when his shot was stopped by goalkeeper Johny Placide and Cunha was there to slam home the rebound to make it 1-0. Cunha extended both arms as if trying to catch some tasty waves and was mobbed his teammates.
Vinícius slid a pass through the defense to find Cunha and he powered one high into the net that Placide never had a chance to stop to make it 2-0. Cunha slid on his stomach on the Kentucky bluegrass and mimicked a swimming motion that all but put Haiti in the drink — and validated the Brazilians’ fans decision not to tempt fate and dress the Rocky statue outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art in team gear.
Vinícius closed the half with a goal and that was enough to keep Brazil — seeking its first World Cup title since 2002 — happy before it closes Group C play with Neymar expected in the lineup against Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
“He’s a very important player; he’s my idol,” Vinícius said. “He always gave me tons of support. And we just hope he can play the next game and help us win the World Cup.”
Brazil kept pace with Morocco atop the group, with Scotland one point behind.
“Our first game was totally different because we had the pressure of being our first one,” Vinícius said. “Everyone was feeling lighter today and the field was also in a better condition, so we were able to do our soccer.”
For Haiti, just making the World Cup for the first time in 52 years was a satisfying accomplishment.
“What was positive was that we didn’t give up,” coach Sébastien Migné said. “The morale was there for the second half. They showed that they deserved to be here at the World Cup. Unfortunately, today we played against Brazil. There was too much of a gap.”
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
