Miami, Jun 25 (V7N)- A brace from Vinícius Júnior and the long-awaited return of Neymar helped Brazil secure a dominant 3-0 victory over Scotland and advance to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Group C champions.
In front of more than 64,000 spectators at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Thursday (June 25), Carlo Ancelotti's side played attacking football from the opening whistle. The victory saw the five-time world champions finish top of Group C with seven points, while Morocco advanced to the next round as runners-up.
Brazil took the lead in the seventh minute when Vinicius capitalized on a defensive error and calmly converted Ryan's pass. The Real Madrid forward doubled Brazil's advantage in first-half stoppage time, heading home a cross from Bruno Guimarães to score his second goal of the match.
The Seleção continued to dominate after the break and extended their lead in the 63rd minute. Mateus Cunha found the net from another Bruno Guimarães assist, registering his third goal of the tournament.
However, the biggest moment of the night came late in the match when Neymar made his first appearance for Brazil in 981 days. The Brazilian star, returning to international action for the first time since October 2023, received a warm ovation from supporters as he entered the field as a substitute.
Scotland struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the contest, while Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker produced several key saves to preserve a clean sheet.
With the convincing victory, Brazil further strengthened its credentials as one of the favorites to lift the World Cup trophy. Vinicius also moved to the top of the tournament's scoring chart with four goals.
END/SMA/AJ
