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06/24 20:33 CDT Vincius Jnior scores 2 goals as Brazil beats Scotland 3-0 to
win its World Cup group
Vincius Jnior scores 2 goals as Brazil beats Scotland 3-0 to win its World
Cup group
By ALANIS THAMES
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) --- Vincius Jnior made it look easy. So did Brazil.
Vincius scored two goals --- one of them practically into an empty net to open
the scoring --- and five-time World Cup champion Brazil beat Scotland 3-0 on
Wednesday, advancing to the knockout stage as the Group C winner.
Vincius --- who has a goal in all three of Brazil's group matches --- scored
in the seventh minute and again just before halftime, tying Norway's Erling
Haaland and Kylian Mbapp with of France with four goals, one behind Lionel
Messi of Argentina.
Matheus Cunha also scored for the Seleao, who reached the knockout rounds for
the 15th consecutive World Cup. Morocco finished second in the group and also
advanced, rallying to beat Haiti 4-2.
After a lackluster 1-1 draw against Morocco in its opener, Brazil --- facing
pressure to win its first World Cup title since 2002 --- followed with a 3-0
win over Haiti, and coach Carlo Ancelotti said he saw gradual improvement from
his team during the group stage.
"We are working to play the best that we can," he said. "But the goal is not to
play well. We know that playing well is easier to win, but the goal is to win.
... If we win the World Cup, we played well. If we don't win the World Cup, we
played really bad."
Taking advantage of an early Scotland mistake on Wednesday, Vincius received a
pass from 19-year-old striker Rayan and took a quick touch to get by goalkeeper
Angus Gunn for an easy finish and a 1-0 lead. He capitalized on another miscue
by the Scots later in the first half with a header from close range.
"It's always important to be scoring goals," Vincius said in Portuguese. "It's
important to be playing great matches, and I managed to do that. I was able to
perform very well and improve. Throughout my years with the national team,
there were times when I couldn't quite show my true game."
Neymar entered as a substitute in the 76th, making his debut after a right calf
injury sidelined him for Brazil's first two matches. The majority-Brazilian
crowd at Hard Rock Stadium began chanting his name midway through the second
half as he got off the bench and began doing warmup sprints on the sideline ---
and fans roared as he trotted onto the pitch.
"I think he deserved the opportunity to play, which is why I gave him the
opportunity to play," Ancelotti said through an interpreter. "I think he did
well even though he played for just a few minutes."
Neymar is Brazil's career scoring leader with 79 goals in 130 international
appearances. The 34-year-old forward appeared in each of the past three World
Cups for Brazil, scoring eight goals.
Scotland is playing in its first World Cup since 1998 and has become one of the
more interesting teams of the tournament. Its dedicated fans, known as the
Tartan Army, brought a party atmosphere to the Boston and Miami areas ahead of
their team's matches.
Scotland hasn't advanced past the group stage in nine tries.
"We knew they were a top side," Scotland's Nathan Patterson said. "They have
massive threats. We were trying to nullify the threats --- and obviously giving
them easy goals is not what you need."
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
