Brazil swung to the Samba beat to dominate a passionate Scotland and earn progression from Group C alongside a resilient Morocco, joining Group A winners Mexico in the Round of 32.
Elsewhere there was matchday disappointment for co-hosts Canada though, after missing out on top spot to Switzerland, as the group phase concluded in Groups A, B, C at the FIFA World Cup. South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina also qualified for the knockout stages for the first time.
Group B
Switzerland 2 Canada 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 Qatar 1
Switzerland inflicted a first loss of the FIFA World Cup on co-hosts Canada with a 2-1 victory at BC Place in Vancouver that meant that the European side finished on top of Group B, securing a Round of 32 in the same city and sending Canada off to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for their knockout clash.
After a goalless opening first half, the action kicked off barely sixty seconds after the restart as Ruben Vargas fired Switzerland in front. The Nati doubled their lead just eleven minutes later through Johan Manzambi meaning that a late flurry from Canada, and a goal from substitute Promise David, wasn’t enough to claw back the result.
Bosnia and Herzegovina also qualified for the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup for the first time, by moving onto four points and claiming one of the best third-place spots with a 3-1 win over Qatar.
Teenager Kerim Alajbegovic gave Bosnia and Herzegovina the lead with a superb strike, and their advantage was doubled via an unfortunate own goal from Mahmud Abunada. Hassan Al Haydos reduced the deficit for Qatar before half-time but, after both teams struck the post, Ermin Mahmić sealed the victory for Bosnia and Herzegovina in stoppage time.
Group C
Scotland 0 Brazil 3
Morocco 4 Haiti 2
A brace from Vinícius Júnior helped Brazil to top spot in Group C with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Scotland, a result that leaves supporters of the Tartan Army on tenterhooks waiting to see whether their tally of three competition points, allied to a goal difference of minus three, will be enough for progression.
Vinícius Júnior took advantage of a gift from some slack Scots defending in the opening moments to waltz in the first of the clash, meaning the superstar striker had scored in all three group matches before heading in a second in first half stoppage time, taking his World Cup tally to four. Matheus Cunha added the third on the hour mark, his third of the competition as Brazil cruised, leaving Scotland with a nervous wait on other results.
Morocco took the group runners-up spot with an expected win over Haiti, but they were made to work extremely hard for the maximum points, twice having to come from behind. An own goal from goalkeeper Bono, and a strike from Wilson Isidor had Haiti in front on two occasions, but the North Africans showcased their resilience by levelling before the interval.
Achraf Hakimi had made the initial breakthrough for Morocco with Ismael Saibari making sure the game was all-square at the break, netting for the second successive game. Both sides went for the win in the second half where goals from Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine allowed Morocco to take the points in front of an appreciative crowd in Atlanta.
Group A
Czechia 0 Mexico 3
South Africa 1 Korea Republic 0
Mexico ended Group A with a 100% record as they capitlised on a raucous home atmosphere in Mexico City to end Czechia hopes of making the knockout stage with a 3-0 win courtesy of a trio of second half goals netted by Sebastian Chavez, Julián Quiñones and Alvaro Fidalgo.
The opening goal was a glorious gem. Chavez gained possession just inside the Czechia half, beat his man, and showed admirable composure to open his body and slot home a nonchalant left-footed effort. When Quiñones prodded in from close range six minutes later, it was game over for Czechia, a fact underlined by a stoppage time third from Fidalgo.
In the other match in the group South Africa stunned Korea Republic 1-0 to leapfrog over the Asian nation in the table and take second place earning a spot in the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup for the first time. A single goal, scored by Thapelo Maseko was the history making difference in Guadalupe.
Maseko struck what proved to be the matchwinner in the 63rd minute, cutting inside his marker and arrowing a low shot into the bottom right corner past Korea Republic goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu. Korea Republic dominated possession but were unable to find a way past a stubborn South Africa defensive wall, and will now have to wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
RESULTS
Group B
Switzerland 2 (Ruben VARGAS 46’, Johan MANZAMBI 57’) Canada 1 (Promise DAVID 76’)
(BC Place, Vancouver)
Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 (Kerim ALAJBEGOVIC 29’, Mahmud ABUNADA 34’ (og), Ermin MAHMIC 80’) Qatar 1 (Hasan AL HAYDOS 42’)
(Lumen Field, Seattle)
Group C
Scotland 0 Brazil 3 (VINÍCIUS JÚNIOR 7’, 45+3’, Matheus CUNHA 60’)
(Hard Rock Stadium, Miami)
Morocco 4 (Achraf HAIKIMI 39’, Ismael SAIBARI 45+1’, Soufiane RAHIMI 78’, Gessime YASSINE 89’) Haiti 2 (BONO 10’ (og), Wilson ISIDOR 43’)
(Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)
Group A
South Africa 1 (Thapelo MASEKO 63’) Korea Republic 0
(Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe)
Czechia 0 Mexico 3 (Mateo CHAVEZ 55’, Julián QUIÑONES 61’, Alvaro FIDALDO 90+4’)
(Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
WHAT’S NEXT
Friday 26 June
Group E: Curaçao v Côte d’Ivoire (8am, Philadelphia)
Group E: Ecuador v Germany (8am, New York / New Jersey)
Group F: Japan v Sweden (11am, Dallas)
Group F: Tunisia v Netherlands (11am, Kansas City)
Group D: Paraguay v Australia (2pm, San Francisco)
Group D: Türkiye v USA (2pm, Los Angeles)