When Brazil won the World Cup in the United States in 1994, ending a 24-year drought, head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira faced criticism for his team’s dull play, especially in the final against Italy. Not just from journalists and fans, but even from his own mother. In Brazil, the result is never enough — style matters just as much.
Seleção supporters expect not only convincing victories but also joga bonito (beautiful football) every time the yellow-and-green take the pitch. Brazil delivered all that on Friday in Philadelphia, rolling to a 3-0 win over Haiti… for one half.
Brazil’s Italian manager, Carlo Ancelotti, made a key offensive change to his starting lineup, replacing Igor Thiago — who started in the 1-1 draw with Morocco — with Matheus Cunha. The move paid off quickly.
The Manchester United striker scored just before the first hydration break, redirecting a poorly cleared shot from teammate Vinícius Jr.
Cunha added another goal with a left-footed strike into the top corner, this time set up by Vini Jr., giving the world a glimpse of his surfer celebration.
The speedy Vini Jr. then got on the scoresheet before halftime, slipping behind Haiti’s naively high defensive line after a looping pass from Lucas Paquetá — who looked sharper than in the group C opener against Morocco.
The drums thundered in the stands. Many expected Brazil to inflict the same punishment on Haiti that Canada had dealt Qatar the previous day. Especially since the Grenadiers’ rugged play earned them a yellow card in the fourth minute. They avoided a red, but head coach Sébastien Migné switched from a five-man defense to a four-man backline, dropping deeper and packing the midfield, which stemmed the bleeding and limited the damage.
Haiti did not park the bus, as the defensive cliché goes, waiting for the storm to pass. They continued to play direct, purposeful football, but with more lucidity than in the first half. You do not face Brazil the same way you face Costa Rica.
Brazil’s lackluster second half stemmed partly from a natural drop in intensity and partly from Haiti’s effective strategy to contain the auriverde attack, which had to cope without Raphinha, who went off injured on the right flank in the 40th minute. That is no small detail. The Brazilian winger had a phenomenal club season at FC Barcelona, scoring 34 goals and adding 22 assists.
Neymar, still injured, did not even travel with the squad to Philadelphia. One wonders whether Ancelotti might have been better off selecting Chelsea’s sharp João Pedro in his place.
Brazil’s first foreign manager certainly avoided a controversy: dropping Neymar, now 34, even though he has been more or less injured for a decade, would have been seen by some Brazilian journalists and fans as a crime against the football gods.
After a tough match against Morocco, Brazil may regret not padding the goal difference ahead of the final group game. They failed to capitalize on several communication breakdowns between Haiti’s defenders and goalkeeper Johny Placide.
Haiti created a few chances of their own, notably when Martin Expérience combined with his friend Pierrot for a one-two that led to the Grenadiers’ first corner. They nearly scored from their second corner after the hour mark, but Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson was alert.
Haiti became the first nation eliminated from this World Cup on Friday. Their must-win match was against Scotland, and they gave the Scots a tough fight until the very end, losing 1-0. They have no reason to hang their heads after being knocked out in their second World Cup appearance by the most successful nation in tournament history.
Haiti will play for pride on Wednesday against a formidable Morocco side — semifinalists in 2022. That match will be closely followed by members of both diasporas in Quebec, falling on the day of our national holiday.
In 1974, Haiti lost all three group matches: 3-1 to Italy, 7-0 to Poland (exactly 52 years to the day before this loss to Brazil), and 4-1 to Argentina. Emmanuel Sanon scored both of the Grenadiers’ goals. Will there be a new Haitian World Cup goalscorer on Wednesday?
Brazil, five-time world champions eliminated in the quarterfinals by Croatia in 2022, have not won the tournament since 2002, when the fabulous 3Rs — Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho — dazzled the world. This is their longest drought since the one that followed Pelé’s second title in 1970. They are due, as people said before the penalty shootout of the 1994 final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Are they ready to win — and this time with flair?
