Brazil beats Panama 6-2 in Maracana match

Brazil Beats Panama in Friendly Match Ahead of World Cup

In a friendly match held at the Maracana stadium, Brazil defeated Panama 6-2, with Vinicius Jr scoring an early goal to set the tone for the game. The match took place on Sunday, with Brazil’s coach Carlo Ancelotti making several changes to his starting lineup during halftime.

Neymar, who is expected to miss Brazil’s June 13 opener against Morocco due to a calf injury, was absent from the team. Several other players, including Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos, and Gabriel Martinelli, were also not part of the squad due to their involvement in the Champions League final.

Vinicius Jr, who played for Flamengo’s academy before joining Brazil, took advantage of a loose ball to score the first goal. Panama briefly equalized in the 14th minute with a free kick that deflected off Matheus Cunha and into the left post.

Brazil regained the lead with a goal from Casemiro in the 39th minute, following a run by Vinicius Jr. The team made several substitutions during halftime, but the new players quickly contributed to the scoreline. Rayan scored an empty-net goal seven minutes after the restart, followed by Lucas Paqueta’s goal in the 60th minute.

Igor Thiago added the fifth goal from the spot three minutes later, and Danilo sealed the win with a shot from inside the box in the 81st minute. Panama’s Carlos Harvey replied with a goal of his own, but Brazil maintained their lead to secure the victory.

The match marked one of Brazil’s final warm-up games before the World Cup, which is set to take place in 2026. The team will face Egypt next weekend and Morocco on June 13 in their opening Group C campaign. Panama, who are also competing in the World Cup, will play their first match against Ghana on June 16.

In other news, the United States earned a 3-2 win over Senegal in a friendly match on Sunday. Christian Pulisic scored one goal and created another before Folarin Balogun struck the winning goal for the USA.

Source: Al Jazeera