Brazil secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Scotland in the final group stage match, clinching first place in Group C. The dazzling performance of Vinicius Junior, coupled with Neymar’s return to the squad, turned the Miami encounter into a showcase of the “pentacampeões” dominance, reports Vladimir Polonsky from across the Atlantic.
The match began with a harsh blow for Scotland. Under pressure, Scott McKenna made a costly error that led to a turnover. Ryan quickly reacted and delivered a pass to Vinicius Junior, who found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and made no mistake in converting the chance.
Scotland tried to wrest control back, earning several corners and at times forcing Brazil to retreat deep into their own half. Vinicius scored again during one of these spells, but after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to a foul committed by the Brazilian in winning the ball. Nevertheless, Scotland couldn’t head into the break with even a narrow deficit. In the third minute of added time in the first half, Bruno Guimarães delivered a precise cross to Vinicius, who headed home his second goal, leaving Steve Clarke’s side in a precarious position.
The second half saw Scotland attempting to salvage something from the game, or at least improve their goal difference. Scott McTominay came close to reducing the deficit, but Alisson Becker was alert to deny him. Then, in the 60th minute, Brazil put the result beyond doubt. A sweeping move through the center ended with Guimarães threading a delicate pass to Matheus Cunha, who calmly slotted the ball past Angus Gunn to make it 3-0.
On the 75th minute, Carlo Ancelotti introduced Neymar, who was making his first appearance for Brazil in nearly three years. Although the overall flow of the match remained unchanged, the star forward was given a chance to test his form and readiness for the ongoing World Cup.
With a 3-0 win, Brazil confidently advances to the knockout stage as Group C winners. Scotland, despite strong support from their fans, will now have to rely on complicated scenarios involving third-placed teams to keep their hopes alive for the 2026 World Cup.
2026 World Cup
Scotland 0-3 Brazil (0-1)
Goals: Vinicius Junior 7 (0-1); Vinicius Junior 48 (0-2); Cunha 60 (0-3)
