Brazil beats Haiti 3-0 for first World Cup win

Matheus Cunha scored a first-half brace and Vinícius Júnior added a stoppage-time goal as Brazil beat Haiti 3-0 in Group C on Friday.espn+1
The result eliminates Haiti, who have zero points after two matches, and lifts Brazil to four points following their opening draw with Morocco.wral+1
A new five-second countdown rule for restarts was enforced when Haiti's goalkeeper delayed a goal kick, awarding Brazil a corner under 2026 tournament regulations.sports.yahoo+1

Brazil secured their first victory of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, overwhelming Haiti 3-0 in a Group C match at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Matheus Cunha scored twice in the first half before Vinícius Júnior added a third deep into stoppage time to give the five-time champions a commanding 3-0 lead at the break.usatoday+4

Cunha's Brace Sets the Tone

Cunha opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with what was described as a scrappy deflected effort before doubling Brazil's advantage in the 36th minute to claim his first World Cup brace. Vinícius Júnior, who also scored in Brazil's opening 1-1 draw against Morocco, then struck in the third minute of first-half stoppage time with a right-footed shot from the left side of the box to make it 3-0.espn+4

The result was Brazil's first win under Carlo Ancelotti in the tournament after the team managed only a draw in their Group C opener against Morocco. For Haiti, the defeat — combined with their 1-0 loss to Scotland in their first match — leaves them eliminated from the competition with zero points after two games.nytimes+3

New Rules on Display

The match provided an early showcase of the 2026 World Cup's new Laws of the Game. Referee Alejandro Hernández enforced the five-second countdown rule for restarts, awarding Brazil a corner kick after Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide delayed a goal kick beyond the allotted time. Under the new regulations approved by the International Football Association Board, if a goal kick is not taken within five seconds of the referee initiating the countdown, the opposing team receives a corner.reddit+3

The rule is one of several anti-time-wasting measures introduced for this tournament, which also include a five-second limit on throw-ins and an eight-second limit for goalkeepers holding the ball during open play.sports.yahoo+2

Group C Picture

With the win, Brazil moved to four points in Group C and strengthened their path toward the knockout rounds of the expanded 48-team tournament. Scotland and Morocco, who played earlier Friday in the group's other fixture, will also factor into the final standings heading into the last round of matches.reuters+1

Sources (32)