When Brazil clinched the World Cup in the United States in 1994, ending a 24-year drought, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira faced criticism for his team’s somewhat subdued play, especially in the final against Italy. Journalists, fans, and even his own mother voiced their opinions. In Brazil, it’s not merely about securing a victory; the style of play, the maneira, is equally paramount.

Supporters of the Seleção anticipate not only decisive wins but also a display of joga bonito (the beautiful game) whenever the yellow-and-green clad players step onto the pitch. Brazil’s squad delivered exactly that on Friday in Philadelphia, securing a 3-0 victory over Haiti – albeit primarily in the first half.

Brazil’s Italian coach, Carlo Ancelotti, made a significant alteration to his starting attacking lineup, replacing Igor Thiago, who had started in the 1-1 draw against Morocco, with Matheus Cunha. This strategic shift quickly yielded results.

The Manchester United forward found the net just before the first hydration break, skillfully redirecting a mishit shot from his teammate Vinícius Jr.

Cunha then scored again with a left-footed strike into the top corner, another goal orchestrated by Vini Jr., providing the perfect opportunity to showcase his signature surfer celebration to the world.

The agile Vini Jr. subsequently turned goal-scorer himself before halftime, breaching a somewhat naive, high Haitian defensive line following a chipped pass from Lucas Paquetá, who appeared to be in much better form than in the initial Group C match against Morocco.

The stadium reverberated with drumming and cheers, as many anticipated a similar fate for Haiti as Qatar had suffered against Canada the previous day. Especially after Les Grenadiers, known for their robust play, received an early yellow card just four minutes into the match. However, they avoided a red card, and their coach, Sébastien Migné, wisely shifted from a five-man defense to a four-man setup, adopting a deeper block and a more compact midfield. This tactical adjustment effectively stemmed the bleeding and limited further damage.

Haiti did not simply “park the bus” in front of their goal, as the defensive cliché suggests, waiting for the storm to pass. They continued to employ a direct and determined approach, but with greater tactical awareness than in the first half. One simply does not face Brazil with the same strategy employed against Costa Rica.

Brazil’s somewhat muted second-half performance can be attributed both to a dip in their own intensity and Haiti’s effective strategy in containing the Seleção’s attack. Brazil also had to contend with the early departure of Raphinha, who suffered an injury on the right flank in the 40th minute. This was no minor detail; the Brazilian winger had enjoyed an exceptional club season at FC Barcelona, contributing 34 goals and 22 assists.

Neymar, still sidelined with an injury, did not even travel with the squad to Philadelphia. This raises the question of whether Ancelotti might have been better served by selecting João Pedro, who has been incisive for Chelsea this season, in his place.

Brazil’s first foreign coach undoubtedly avoided a major controversy: sidelining 34-year-old Neymar, despite his intermittent injury history over the past decade, would have been perceived by some Brazilian journalists and supporters as an act of lèse-majesté.

Following a challenging match against Morocco, Brazil might regret not capitalizing on more scoring opportunities to bolster their goal differential before the final group stage fixture. The Brazilians failed to exploit several communication errors between Haitian defenders and goalkeeper Johny Placide.

Haiti did manage to create a few scoring chances, notably a one-two between Martin Expérience and his teammate Pierrot, which led to Les Grenadiers’ first corner. They nearly scored from their second corner after the hour mark, but Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson remained vigilant.

Haiti became the first nation eliminated from this World Cup on Friday. For Les Grenadiers, the crucial match was against Scotland, where they battled fiercely until the very end before succumbing to a 1-0 defeat. They have no reason to be ashamed of being eliminated in only their second World Cup appearance by the nation with the most titles in the competition’s history.

Haiti will play for pride on Wednesday against the formidable Moroccan squad, a semi-finalist in the 2022 World Cup. This match will be closely watched by members of their respective diasporas in Quebec, coinciding with our national holiday.

In 1974, Haiti lost all three of its group stage matches: 3-1 to Italy, 7-0 to Poland (exactly 52 years to the day before this defeat to Brazil), and 4-1 to Argentina. Emmanuel Sanon scored both of Les Grenadiers’ goals. Will Wednesday bring a new Haitian goal scorer in the World Cup?

The Brazilians, five-time world champions who were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia in 2022, have not won the tournament since 2002, during the era of the formidable ‘3Rs’: Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho. This represents their longest trophy drought since the one that followed Pelé’s second triumph in 1970. They are, as the saying goes, “due” for a win, much like before the 1994 final’s penalty shootout at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Are they ready to win, and with panache, this time?