Brazil’s World Cup has well and truly taken off, as they dispatched Scotland 3-0 to book their place in the knockout stage.
Vinicius Jr scored twice, and Matheus Cunha added a third to secure the win over Scott McTominay’s Scotland in style.
Cunha has scored three goals in this tournament now, while Casemiro is also getting back to his best levels after a poor start.
The latest win, however, saw Michael Carrick get credited in the Brazilian press, albeit indirectly.
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Casemiro and Matheus Cunha drive Brazil
Carlo Ancelotti learned his lesson after game one and introduced Matheus Cunha into the first XI.
Cunha hasn’t looked back since, following up a brace in their previous game with a goal against Scotland to seal the victory.
Casemiro, on the other hand, is starting to get his rhythm back at the perfect time, as Brazil walk into the knockout stages with plenty of confidence.
The Brazilian press has been largely complimentary of the Man Utd duo, especially Cunha, who has captured the imagination of fans back home.
After Brazil’s 3-0 win against Scotland, the press in the country made a point about Man Utd for Casemiro, in particular.
It’s vindication for Michael Carrick.
Brazilian press on Cunha and Casemiro
Brazilian outlet Veja called Cunha an “intelligent player” who is “well-positioned” always, praising him for scoring his third goal this World Cup.
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GE Globo rated him 7.5/10, which is extremely high by their standards, writing, “He started scoring again and was important in other ways. He was very combative without the ball and helped in the build-up play, dropping back a little to provide passing options and act as a target man. Brazil’s second goal came after he recovered the ball with a sliding tackle at the edge of the penalty area.”
ESPN Brasil said despite his goals, he is even more important off the ball than on it, as he helps get the team their tactics right, rating him at 6.5/10.
They went on to make a Man Utd point about Casemiro’s performance, saying that the midfielder is still not as good as he was for United this season, but he’s “improving”. He was rated 6.5/10 as well.
Globo rated Casemiro 6.5/10, noting his effectiveness at dropping deep between the centre-backs and dictating play.
It has reached public discourse that Michael Carrick got more out of Casemiro last season than anyone thought was possible.
Maybe Ancelotti can ring the Man Utd manager and get some tips on how he did it!
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