Brazil thump seven past resilient Haiti in excellent Group B performance

Brazil made it look too easy

Dunga's Brazil swept aside a resilient Haiti side 7-1 at the Orlando Citrus Bowl in Orlando thanks to goals from Philippe Coutinho, Renato Augusto, Gabriel Barbosa and Lucas Lima. Haiti went into the game completely aware of Brazil's intentions to top the group and more or less seal a spot in the following round yet they put in a brave and confident display capped off by an excellent goal by James Marcelin.

Brazil started the game off with the same squad that drew with Ecuador a few days back. Willian and Coutinho on the wings accompanied the resurgent Jonas who lead the attack for the first half. Elias and Augusto played ahead of Real Madrid's Casemiro in midfield while Marquinhos and Gil occupied the centre of the defence.

Veterans Dani Alves and Filipe Luis took the wings and had important contributions to the game - especially the former Barcelona man who contributed two assists to the Selecao to put away.

Brazil opened the scoring with an incredible shot from distance after cutting in from the left and catching the keeper off guard at his near post. Coutinho followed this effort thanks to a tap-in set up by striker Jonas.

Dani Alves then put in an exquisite ball into the centre of the field with both Augusto and Jonas ready to convert. The former made no mistake and powerfully guiding the ball into the back of the net past the keeper making it 3-0 to Dunga's men.

Jonas – having been tipped by many to top the scoring charts in this competition – felt almost out of place in this Brazil squad sharing almost no connection and bond with any of the creative players. He was replaced in half-time by young Gabigol who repaid his manager's faith by scoring his first international goal in style coolly slotting past the keeper into the bottom right corner.

Lucas Lima continued the scoring with another well-taken effort from just inside the box sealing his name on the scoresheet before Augusto added his second similar to Gabigol's effort earlier in the game. A low placed finish into the bottom right corner.

Philippe Coutinho then showed us why Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were so fixated on signing him by scoring an absolute worldly from outside the box. A curling effort from the left end of the box caught the goalkeeper who was surefooted by then.

Haiti's solitary goal included an excellent build up involving multiple attackers which ended in a simple tap-in after Allison committed to the wrong player. Brazil now top Group B and only have Peru to play before proceeding to the next round. Haiti, meanwhile, will embrace the fact that they scored against one of the world's best teams and use that as a stepping stone for further games.

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