Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha scored Brazil’s first two goals in a 3-0 win against Haiti as the FIFA event draws to a close.
Published June 20, 2026
Five-time champions Brazil eliminated Haiti from the World Cup with a 3-0 victory, with Vinicius Junior assisting on one of Matheus Cunha’s two goals.
Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country, qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, but became the first team guaranteed not to advance to the knockout stages. Meanwhile, the Selecao gave the decisive performance they needed on Friday.
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Manchester United standout Cunha started and showed with every surf-and-sliding goal celebration why he should have been in the starting XI in Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco. Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti made the surprising decision to bring on Cunha as a late substitute in the opening game.
Cunha grabbed the rebound and scored the first goal of his World Cup career, electrifying the Brazilian fans who made up the majority of the 68,324-strong crowd at Philadelphia Stadium. He then fired a left-footed shot into the top left corner to give Haiti a 2-0 lead in the first half.
Brazilian forward Rafinha, who came off injured in the first half and had an early goal ruled offside, only momentarily quieted the otherwise festive atmosphere of the yellow-clad Selecao fans at the home of the two-time Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles – Eagles cheerleaders serving as a rallying point.
Haitian fans danced and sang the national team’s traditional battle cry, “Grenadye Alaso” (“Grenadier to Attack”). “A thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals! Only Pele, only Pele!” shouted Brazilians back, reminding them that their country is a five-time World Cup winner and home to the king of soccer.
Cunha added to the frivolity of Philadelphia, home to nearly 6,000 Brazilian immigrants, by sprinkling in a familiar surf extravaganza.
Vinicius equalized with a 32nd-minute goal in Brazil’s game against Morocco, but his shot was stopped by goalkeeper Johnny Placido, and Cunha, who was there, smashed in the rebound to make it 1-0 for Brazil. Cunha stretched out his arms as if trying to catch a delicious wave, and was jostled by his teammates.
Vinicius slipped through the defense and passed the ball to Cunha, who fired a powerful shot into the goal, giving Plácido no chance to stop it, making it 2-0. Cunha lied on his stomach and mimicked the swimming motion, which was intoxicating to Haiti. It confirmed the Brazilian fans’ decision not to tempt fate or dress the Rocky statue in team gear to avoid bad luck.
Vinicius ended the first half with a goal and it was enough to keep Brazil satisfied ahead of Wednesday’s Group C game against Scotland in Miami Gardens, Florida, as they seek to win their first World Cup since 2002.
Neymar will miss the second consecutive match against Brazil due to a lingering calf injury.
