Brazil's 3-0 victory over Haiti in the World Cup on Friday night in Philadelphia was bittersweet for fans, as the team secured their first win of the tournament but lost winger Raphinha to a hamstring injury midway through the first half. The Barcelona star's condition is still being evaluated, but it appears unlikely he will feature before the quarterfinals, if Brazil advance that far.
Raphinha injury disrupts attacking plans
Raphinha's partnership with Vinicius Junior was slowly taking shape, with his ability to spot space and release Vini for runs being a key weapon for coach Carlo Ancelotti. With that plan stalled, Ancelotti may need to reshuffle his attack. Bournemouth's Rayan replaced Raphinha and performed adequately, but the team hopes for the return of Neymar, who is recovering from an injury. According to Ancelotti, the 34-year-old will do individual training over the weekend and rejoin the squad on Monday.
Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha shine
The bright spots were Vinicius Junior and striker Matheus Cunha. Vinicius, who scored against Morocco in Brazil's opener, found the net again against Haiti and had a hand in all three goals. The 25-year-old has maintained a low profile, avoiding controversy, thanks to Ancelotti's guidance from their Real Madrid days. However, bigger tests await against more organized opposition. Cunha brought calm with an opportunistic strike in the 23rd minute and added a second goal with a thumping left-footer after being released by Vinicius inside the box. Vinicius added the third in first-half stoppage time, allowing Brazil to play at a lower gear thereafter to conserve energy.
Defense and midfield untroubled
Brazil's midfield of Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, and Lucas Paqueta had a comfortable night, while the defense was rarely tested. Gabriel's goalline clearance with a bicycle kick in the second half suggested he has overcome the disappointment of missing the final penalty in the Champions League final against PSG. After last week's opening draw against Morocco, Brazil's World Cup journey has begun like that of a title aspirant at a tennis Grand Slam, with the burden of winning seven games in a row. World No. 83 Haiti were the kind of early-round opponent they needed.
