Brazil beats Scotland 3-0, jeopardizing World Cup knockout hopes

Scott McKenna's sixth-minute mistake handed Brazil an early lead in a 3-0 defeat at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and left Scotland waiting on their place in the World Cup round of 32. Vinicius Junior scored twice and Matheus Cunha added the third as Brazil finished top of Group C on seven points, while Scotland stayed third on three with a goal difference of minus three.

The result stripped Scotland of the simple route they needed. Clarke's players had known a draw would guarantee qualification beyond the group stage at a major finals for the first time, but Brazil's pace and Scotland's errors turned that opening into a trap. Scotland had not beaten Brazil in 10 previous attempts, and Clarke summed up the night bluntly: "I think we're going home." Brazil now move on to face the Group F runners-up in Houston on 29 June.

Brazil's opener came when McKenna tried to play out from the back under pressure from Rayan and saw the ball deflect to Vinicius, who rounded Angus Gunn and finished. Vinicius then thought he had a second before VAR ruled he had fouled Jack Hendry, but he still doubled Brazil's lead in stoppage time when Bruno Guimaraes crossed and the Real Madrid forward headed in. Cunha finished the job in the 60th minute after Guimaraes again created the opening, and Brazil finished with 4.46 expected goals to Scotland's 1.13.

Scotland's response came too late. Kieran Tierney forced Alisson Becker into a save after the break, and the Brazil keeper later twice denied Scott McTominay before Scotland's late pressure fizzled. The Tartan Army had arrived in Miami's heat and humidity hoping for a breakthrough, but the night ended with Brazil's clean sheet, Neymar Jr's late substitute appearance giving the large Brazilian contingent in the crowd more to celebrate, and Scotland left to wait on the best-third-place table rather than the knockout berth they had been targeting.