Brazil vs Haiti: A display of results and flair

When Brazil clinched the World Cup in the United States back in 1994, ending a 24-year drought, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira faced heavy criticism. Despite the trophy, fans, journalists, and even his own mother were unimpressed by the team’s lackluster style, particularly in the final against Italy. In the world of Brazilian football, winning is only half the battle; how you win matters just as much.

Supporters of the Seleção demand joga bonito—the beautiful game—every time the team takes the pitch. On Friday in Philadelphia, the squad delivered exactly that during a dominant first half, ultimately securing a 3-0 win over Haiti.

The team’s Italian manager, Carlo Ancelotti, made a significant tactical shift in the starting lineup. He opted for Matheus Cunha up front, replacing Igor Thiago, who had started in the recent 1-1 draw against Morocco. The decision proved inspired almost immediately.

The Manchester United forward found the back of the net just before the first hydration break. He was perfectly positioned to redirect a deflected shot from teammate Vinícius Jr. into the goal.

Cunha wasn’t finished. He doubled the lead with a clinical left-footed strike into the top corner, another goal orchestrated by the creative play of Vinícius Jr. The striker celebrated the moment with his trademark surfer pose for the global audience.

Before the halftime whistle, the electric Vinícius Jr. turned from playmaker to goalscorer. He exploited a naively high Haitian defensive line, latching onto a perfectly weighted lob from Lucas Paquetá, who appeared much sharper than he did in the Group C opener against Morocco.

The atmosphere in the stands was electric as fans anticipated a blowout similar to Canada’s performance against Qatar. Haiti, known for their physical style, had already seen a yellow card in the fourth minute. However, coach Sébastien Migné managed to avoid a total collapse. By switching from a five-man defense to a more compact four-man backline with a deeper block, he successfully stemmed the tide of Brazilian attacks.

Haiti didn’t simply “park the bus” to weather the storm. They maintained a direct and ambitious approach, though they played with more tactical awareness in the second half. They recognized that taking on Brazil requires a different level of caution than facing an opponent like Costa Rica.

Brazil’s drop in intensity during the second period was partly due to Haiti’s improved defensive organization and partly due to the loss of Raphinha. The winger, who had an incredible season with FC Barcelona involving 34 goals and 22 assists, was forced off with an injury in the 40th minute. His absence was felt on the right flank.

Meanwhile, Neymar remains sidelined and didn’t even travel to Philadelphia. This has led to questions about whether Ancelotti should have called up João Pedro, who has been in fine form for Chelsea. However, by not cutting the 34-year-old Neymar, Ancelotti likely avoided a media firestorm, as sidelining the icon is often viewed as a major offense by the Brazilian public.

Following the stalemate with Morocco, Brazil might regret not padding their goal difference further. They failed to capitalize on several defensive mix-ups between the Haitian defenders and goalkeeper Johny Placide.

Haiti did manage to threaten Alisson’s goal. A neat exchange between Martin Expérience and Pierrot led to their first corner, and they nearly found the net on a second set-piece after the hour mark, but the Brazilian keeper remained alert.

With this result, Haiti becomes the first team officially eliminated from this World Cup. Their missed opportunity came against Scotland, where they fought hard before falling 1-0. There is no shame in being knocked out in their second-ever tournament appearance by the most successful nation in football history.

Haiti will play for pride this Wednesday against a formidable Morocco side, the 2022 semi-finalists. The match will be a major event for the respective diasporas in Québec, coinciding with the national holiday.

Looking back at 1974, Haiti lost all three group matches against Italy, Poland, and Argentina, with Emmanuel Sanon scoring their only two goals. The question remains: will a new Haitian hero emerge to score on the world stage this Wednesday?

As for Brazil, the five-time champions haven’t tasted World Cup glory since the era of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho in 2002. After a quarter-final exit in 2022, they are enduring their longest title drought since the 1970s. The pressure is on to see if they can finally reclaim the trophy with the panache their fans demand.