Matheus Cunha replaced Igor Thiago up front and scored twice in the first half as Brazil beat Haiti 3-0 in Group C at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday, June 19—setting up questions about how changes will translate into Brazil’s next match vers
PHILADELPHIA — Carlo Ancelotti didn’t spell out what would change for Brazil after a flat World Cup opener against Morocco. but his hint came with a clear. immediate answer. One of those adjustments arrived at the front of the lineup: he replaced Igor Thiago with Matheus Cunha. pairing the Manchester United forward with Vinícius Júnior to reshape the attack.
Cunha seized the moment. He scored two goals in a span of 13 minutes in the first half as the Seleção cruised to a 3-0 win over Haiti in Group C play on Friday, June 19, at Lincoln Financial Field.
“It’s really rewarding. We work so hard in pursuit of so many things, and goals are definitely one of the main focuses,” Cunha said. “So being able to score goals (at the World Cup) and help the team, I think that’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of.”
For Cunha, the night carried a second layer of meaning. He said being at this World Cup is a “meaningful moment and experience” because he wasn’t on Brazil’s roster in 2022 in Qatar, where the team advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Croatia in penalty kicks.
“So grateful,” the Paraiba, Brazil, native said. “… After everything you go through, all the tough times. I think it’s those moments that really make today’s celebration so special.”
He added that not being at the prior World Cup forced him to replay what it might have felt like. “Not being at the other World Cup. imagining how wonderful it could have been. and being here now. (we’re) doing everything we can to make it everything we’ve always dreamed of. There’s nothing more rewarding than being able to make that dream come true and realizing just how big that dream really was.”.
Ancelotti framed the move in terms of performance, not just lineup tinkering. “Think Matheus was good in possession and created problems for the defense. His position was good at the front,” he said.
The question now shifts from what happened in Philadelphia to what happens next. Cunha’s two-goal burst came after Ancelotti earlier suggested changes were coming. and it’s now tied to the immediate decision ahead of Brazil’s Group C finale against Scotland on Wednesday. June 24. That match is set for Miami Gardens at Hard Rock Stadium. Asked whether Cunha will start, Ancelotti again didn’t commit.
“He might,” he said.
The goals began early enough to feel like momentum arriving instead of waiting for it. Cunha ignited the celebration for the Seleção fans in the 68,000-plus crowd when he scored in the 23rd minute. The sequence started with Vinícius Júnior’s shot—then Cunha took advantage of the rebound. beating Haiti defender Hannes Delcroix for the ball in front of the 6-yard box despite Delcroix getting to it first. Cunha slotted it calmly into the net.
He doubled the lead in the 36th minute. With a through ball pass from Vini Jr., Cunha showed off his footwork, finishing with an exquisite left-footed shot into the top corner of the net.
Brazil made it 3-0 just before halftime when Vini Jr. scored his second goal of the tournament.
Cunha’s impact wasn’t limited to the scoreboard. Over the 64 minutes he played, his pace and fluidity paired well with Júnior, helping Brazil maintain speed in attack. He also helped create space and offered another scoring option while Neymar remained sidelined with a calf injury.
The win also sharpened a contrast with how Brazil looked against Morocco just six days earlier. Ancelotti said the change in feel came down to execution.
“It was what I expected,” he said. “To have better quality, less mistakes and more quality. I think we improved and will improve for (the) next match. We don’t think about the knockout rounds. We think about playing and improving to try to get first place in the group.”
He also set expectations for how difficult the tournament remains. “Every match is (a) hard-fought match. Of course, France is harder than Haiti. But we believe we can beat any team and that includes France.”
Brazil’s night in Philadelphia ended with an emphatic scoreline. but the bigger story was the lineup decision and what it could mean in Miami. With Neymar still out. Cunha’s performance gave the coach a new option—and gave Brazil a reminder of how quickly the offense can look like the tournament they expected to play.
Matheus Cunha Brazil vs Haiti World Cup Group C Carlo Ancelotti Vinícius Júnior Igor Thiago Hannes Delcroix Neymar calf injury Scotland match Lincoln Financial Field
So Cunha just came in and cooked, love to see it.
Wait they replaced Igor Thiago?? I thought that was the whole plan after the Morocco game but I guess not. 3-0 is wild though, Haiti didn’t even stand a chance.
Ancelotti hinting stuff and then immediately changing the lineup… okay but does it actually matter when Haiti is the opponent? Like I’m not saying it’s fake, I just mean it’s not exactly a strong test. Next match will tell the truth, unless they somehow flop again.
Cunha scored twice in 13 minutes and Brazil “cruised” but I keep seeing people say Morocco was flat too so maybe Brazil’s just hot for the first half then disappears? Also Haiti’s not even like a soccer super team, so it’s kinda hard to judge. But hey good for him, not being on the 2022 roster makes it emotional right?