Vinicius Jr scored twice to give Brazil a 2-0 lead over Scotland at half-time in their 2026 World Cup Group C fixture at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Thursday.
Scotland gifted both goals. In the seventh minute, Kosta McKenna dwelled too long on the ball and Rayan closed him down, intercepting the pass. The Bournemouth forward fed Vinicius Jr, who rounded goalkeeper Angus Gunn and rolled into an empty net.
Brazil nearly doubled their lead on 19 minutes. Stephen Hendry lost possession in his own half, Vinicius Jr stole the ball and slipped it past Gunn, but VAR intervened. Replays showed Vinicius Jr caught Hendry as he won the ball, and the referee disallowed the goal for a foul.
Scotland survived that scare but their defence continued to buckle under pressure. Brazil, content to control possession and probe for openings, gave Lucas Paqueta the freedom to dictate tempo. When Scotland sat deep, Paqueta found Matheus Cunha in tight pockets, keeping the pressure relentless.
The second goal arrived in first-half stoppage time and mirrored the first in its origins. Scotland won the ball back inside their own box only to surrender it immediately. Bruno Guimaraes floated a ball to the back post and Vinicius Jr headed home without challenge to make it 2-0.
Scotland’s best moment came from a 29th-minute corner. John McGinn whipped a curling cross into the box from the far side, but the resulting header missed the target.
Rayan was central to Brazil’s press all half. The 20-year-old’s pace and reach, notably crucial in winning the ball back from McKenna for the opener, made him a constant threat, and he consistently unsettled Scotland’s attempts to build from the back.
Brazil sit top of Group C at the break. In the parallel fixture, Morocco and Haiti are level at 2-2, a result that strengthens Brazil’s position further. Scotland will advance with a win, and remain in contention with a draw or defeat under the tournament’s current qualification setup.
