Brazil vs Scotland
Photography by: Lorena Barros
Brazil looked every bit the World Cup contender many expected on Wednesday night, cruising past Scotland 3-0 in Miami to seal top spot in Group C and extend their remarkable streak of reaching the knockout stage to 15 consecutive tournaments.
The star once again was Vinícius Júnior.
After scoring in each of Brazil's opening two matches, the Real Madrid forward continued his electric start to the tournament with another brace, bringing his tally to four goals in three games. Only Lionel Messi has found the net more often through the group stage, while Vinícius now sits level with Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.
Brazil wasted little time asserting control. Just seven minutes in, relentless pressure forced a costly Scottish mistake when Scott McKenna's attempted clearance ricocheted kindly into Vinícius' path. The Brazilian winger rounded goalkeeper Angus Gunn before calmly finishing into an empty net.
Scotland settled after the early setback and briefly found some rhythm, but Brazil's quality in the final third remained the difference. Vinícius thought he had doubled the lead midway through the half after winning possession high up the pitch, only for VAR to rule he had fouled Jack Hendry in the buildup.
His second goal would count.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Bruno Guimarães delivered a teasing cross that evaded Gunn and found Vinícius arriving at the back post to head home, giving Brazil a commanding two-goal cushion before halftime.
The Seleção continued to dictate the tempo after the break. Gunn produced several impressive saves to deny Vinícius from completing his hat trick, but Brazil eventually found a third through Matheus Cunha, who drilled home from a Bruno Guimarães assist just after the hour mark.
While Scotland created a handful of opportunities of their own, Alisson Becker preserved Brazil's clean sheet with a series of sharp saves, including key stops from Lewis Ferguson and Scott McTominay as the Tartan Army searched for a lifeline.
The loudest ovation of the night, however, arrived in the 76th minute.
After missing Brazil's opening two matches with a calf injury, Neymar made his first appearance of the tournament to a thunderous reception from the overwhelmingly Brazilian crowd at Hard Rock Stadium. Chants of his name echoed around Miami as the nation's all-time leading scorer stepped back onto the World Cup stage for the first time in four years.
For Scotland, defeat leaves their hopes of a historic first trip beyond the World Cup group stage hanging by a thread, while Brazil head into the knockout rounds brimming with confidence.
With Vinícius in sparkling form, Neymar back in the fold, and Carlo Ancelotti's side growing stronger with each performance, the five-time world champions are beginning to look like one of the tournament's most complete teams.
