PHILADELPHIA (AP) 鈥� Vin铆cius J煤nior scored and assisted on one of Matheus Cunha’s two goals as five-time champion Brazil eliminated Haiti from the with a 3-0 victory on Friday night.
Haiti, the Western Hemisphere鈥檚 poorest nation that qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, became the first team guaranteed not to reach the knockout round. Meanwhile, the Sele莽茫o got the decisive performance they needed.
Cunha, the Manchester United standout, got the start and showed with every surf-and-slide goal celebration why he should have been in the starting lineup in Brazil’s listless against Morocco. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti made the surprising decision in the opener to instead insert Cunha as a late substitute.
Cunha thrilled the Brazilian fans who made up the bulk of the 68,324 spectators at Lincoln Financial Field when he for his first career World Cup goal. He then sent a left-footed strike into the upper left corner for a 2-0 lead in the first half against the overmatched Haitians.
Brazil forward Raphinha, who was subbed out with an injury in the first half, had an early goal disallowed on an offside call that only temporarily muted the yellow-clad Sele莽茫o fans in an otherwise at the home of the two-time Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 鈥� whose cheerleaders did their part to rally the crowd.
Haitian fans danced and sang 鈥淕renadye Alaso鈥� (鈥淕renadiers to the Attack鈥�), the traditional battle cry of the national team. Brazilians chanted back, reminding them their country is the five-time World Cup champion and the home of the king of soccer: 鈥淎 thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals! Only Pel茅, only Pel茅!鈥�
Cunha added to the frivolity in Philadelphia, home to nearly 6,000 Brazilian immigrants, when he flashed his familiar surfing celebration.
Vin铆cius, whose helped Brazil earn the tie against Morocco, helped Brazil get on the board when his shot was stopped by goalkeeper Johny Placide and Cunha was there to slam home the rebound to make it 1-0. Cunha extended both arms as if trying to catch some tasty waves and was mobbed his teammates.
Vin铆cius slid a pass through the defense to find Cunha and he powered one high into the net that Placide never had a chance to stop to make it 2-0. Cunha slid on his stomach and mimicked a swimming motion that all but put Haiti in the drink 鈥� and validate the Brazilians鈥� fans decision not to tempt fate and dress the in team gear for bad luck.
Vin铆cius closed the half with a goal and that was enough to keep Brazil 鈥� seeking its first World Cup title since 2002 鈥� happy before it closes Group C play against Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Neymar was ruled out of Brazil鈥檚 second straight match because of a lingering calf injury.
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