Brazil, Morocco advance into World Cup knockouts after goalfest

Brazil and Morocco secured automatic passage into the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 after securing wins to finish first and second respectively in Group C, early Thursday morning.

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Brazil, needing a big win to guarantee their usual place on top of a World Cup group for a 12th straight edition, delivered as ordered in Miami, humbling Scotland 3-0, in what was a repeat of their previous World Cup appearance in France in 1998.

Already off to a brilliant start at this year’s tournament, Vinicius Junior added to his growing goal tally by scoring a first-half brace, with Manchester United striker Matheus Cunha adding a third in the second half, to leave Scotland’s first-ever World Cup knockout hopes hanging on a thread.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Morocco were forced to dig deep to get the better of already-eliminated Haiti, scoring two late goals to win 4-2, and end their group stage participation level on points with leaders Brazil, but only behind on goal difference.

On a night where The Atlas Lions were expected to breeze over the team looking to gain its first point at a World Cup, it was lowly Haiti who got into the lead inside the first 10 minutes, when Lenny Joseph back-heeled a lovely cross from the right off the back of keeper Yassine Bounou, and into the net.

It would take 39 minutes for Morocco to find a response, as Achraf Hakimi bundled home a poorly-saved shot across the goal-line, before Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor got the Haitians back into the lead with a scorcher of a strike in the 43rd minute.

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Now resembling a ping-pong game, Morocco were back level at the stroke of halftime, when Ismael Saibari connected a low cut-back from Hakimi, scoring his third goal of the tournament.

The second half saw Morocco pile on the pressure for a first lead of the game, and it was not until the 78th minute when the gates opened, Soufiane Rahimi the recipient of a low corner to unleash a deflected snapshot into the bottom corner.

With a minute of regular time to go, men in red found another goal courtesy of Gessime Yassine, to end their invincible group stage in style.

©AFP

Despite there being a warning on an impeding storm in the coast, Brazil themselves brought the lightning and thunder, as they piled misery on the less-conservative Scots, who, in a bid to bring the game to Selecao, fell to their own swords.

The first goal for Brazil was a gift, as defender Scott McKenna dallied on the ball in the seventh minute, to allow Rayan to steal possession and square a pass to Vinicius, who had the easy task of side-stepping the keeper, and finishing into an empty net.

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Jack Hendry looked to have fallen into the same pit in the 22nd minute when Vinicius pickpocketed him for a simple finish into the net, only for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to deem the Real Madrid star’s challenge a foul.

The winger would not be denied his second deep in first-half added time, when he sneaked in at the backpost to head in a fine cross from Bruno Guimaraes, this after Scotland had failed to clear their lines.

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Just before that goal, Cunha had come close to doubling Brazil’s lead in the 44th minute, when he fed a low cross from Rayan, but for defender Nathan Patterson to make a clearance off the line.

With no option but attacking, Scotland piled on the pressure in the second half, and could have got themselves back in the tie in the 49th minute, when Scott McTominay headed a John McGinn cross straight into the arms of Alisson.

Surprisingly, that attempt was Scotland’s first on target since McGinn’s goal against Haiti on their opening game of the tournament.

But just as much-improved Scotland were looking quite decent money in the game, Brazil pounced on a quick inter-play in the 68th minute, leaving Guimaraes with lots of space to square a ball for Cunha to drive home his third goal of the tournament.

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McTominay would again test Alisson with a low header minutes later, but that acted only as window-dressing.

Perhaps the biggest roar of the night came as Brazilian star Neymar was substituted on in the 76th minute, marking his first appearance at this year’s tournament, having battled through injury during the first two group matches.

After flattering to deceive against Morocco, The Samba Boys look to be revving up their engines, just at the right time.

WORLD CUP - GROUP STAGE (ROUND 3)

Group C

Thursday

Scotland - Brazil 0-3 (0-2)

/Vinicius 7, 45+3, Cunha 60/

Morocco - Haiti 4-2 (2-2)

/Hakimi 39, Saibari 45+1, Rahimi 78, Yassine 89 - Bounou 10 og, Isidor 43/