Are Brazil back in business after World Cup win vs...
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- Brazil beat Haiti 3-0 in Philadelphia, wrapping up the game by halftime to bounce back from a disappointing 1-1 draw with Morocco in their World Cup Group C opener
- Matheus Cunha scored two goals and showed he can be a viable World Cup center forward, though coach Carlo Ancelotti would only say he was 'the right profile for this game'
- Vinícius Júnior delivered a standout performance with a goal and an assist, operating closer to goal in a de facto 4-2-4 formation Ancelotti switched to after Paquetá came off
- Raphinha limped off after 39 minutes with a muscular injury and will undergo tests on Sunday, replaced by 19-year-old Rayan — a very different profile, per Ancelotti
- Lucas Paquetá and Casemiro performed considerably better than in the Morocco draw, while scapegoated players Roger Ibañez and Igor Thiago were left out of the starting XI entirely
- Endrick entered with 30 minutes to go to rousing applause, had a goal disallowed, and turned 20 on Sunday — though he has scored just six goals for club and country in the past 12 months
- Ancelotti said Brazil can 'compete with anyone, including France' but kept every contingency open, saying he 'might change' the center forward and formation depending on the opponent
Why it matters: Brazil needed a mental reset after the Morocco draw and got one, but the Raphinha injury (39th minute) could force a tactical overhaul given he's central to their wide-attack system. Ancelotti's refusal to commit to a center forward, formation, or even a settled eleven means Brazil enter the next match as a side running contingency plans rather than a finished product.
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