Neymar, who greeted fans with a cheerful thumbs-up upon leaving the Brazil team bus, will not start in the match. However, coach Carlo Ancelotti has stated that he is “Baxter frequently had the Brazilians bemused as he spread the play or cleverly sent them the wrong way with a body swerve,” for substitution. Additionally, there is one change in the lineup from Brazil’s recent 3-0 victory over Haiti, with the injured Raphinha being replaced by Rayan, yet another young talent from Bournemouth. The Cherries have quite the representation tonight, as several players with Premier League experience are featured in the Brazilian squad, including Alisson from Liverpool, Gabriel from Arsenal, Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle, Casemiro and Matheus Cunha from Manchester United, and Danilo, who previously played for Manchester City.
As previously reported, exciting young winger Ben Gannon-Doak has secured a starting position for Scotland. This match marks the first World Cup start for Lawrence Shankland, while Scott McKenna has been assigned to the center of defense, and Kenny McLean is stepping into the midfield. Replacements include Grant Hanley, Kieran Tierney, Ryan Christie, and Ché Adams. Steve Clarke’s selection appears to be a more daring and offensive strategy than many anticipated.
Here is Scotland’s lineup: Gunn, Patterson, McKenna, Hendry, Robertson, Doak, McLean, Ferguson, McGinn, McTominay, Shankland. The substitutes include Kelly, Gordon, Hickey, Hanley, Tierney, Fletcher, Dykes, Adams, Christie, Stewart, Souttar, Hyam, Hirst, Ralston, and Curtis.
Brazil’s lineup consists of: Alisson, Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Douglas Santos, Guimaraes, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta, Rayan, Cunha, and Vinicius Junior. Their substitutes include Weverton, Ederson, Alex Sandro, Bremer, Leo Pereira, Ibanez, Ederson Silva, Fabinho, dos Santos Danilo, Neymar, Endrick, Luiz Henrique, Martinelli, and Thiago.
The match will be officiated by referee Cesar Arturo Ramos Palazuelos from Mexico.
This iteration of the Brazilian national team may not be their strongest, and the sentiment back in Brazil reflects that. It feels more akin to Elis Regina’s rendition of Aquarela do Brasil than the classic sounds of Tom Jobim.
Paul MacInnes, also present in Miami, has been interacting with the Tartan Army, and he reports on a unique American tradition: no Scotsmaxxing, no party!
A reminder regarding FIFA’s weather protocol: if there is thunder or lightning within an eight-mile radius of the Miami Stadium, players will be sent to their dressing rooms, initiating a 30-minute countdown. If no further lightning is detected during this time, the teams will resume with a 15-minute warm-up before play restarts. However, if another strike occurs during the countdown, the clock resets. This could lead to a lengthy evening, as seen in previous games, such as the two-hour suspension during the France-Iraq match.
Ewan Murray is stationed at the Hard Rock Stadium (formerly known as Pro Player Park and several other names). Here’s his live update, which may not be his last if the weather conditions are as challenging as he anticipates.
I just shared a lift at Miami Stadium with Denilson. He has particularly small feet.
Turning to matters less personal, dark clouds loom nearby, raising the likelihood of a storm delay during the game. Scotland hopes that the weather will be their only adversary this evening. This may be wishful thinking.
Expect Ben Gannon-Doak to return to the Scotland team. Raphinha is sidelined for Brazil, and attention remains on whether Carlo Ancelotti will start Neymar.
Scotland’s historical performance against Brazil has been subpar, with a record of ten matches: zero wins, two draws, and eight losses. Yet, despite these daunting statistics, the previous encounters tell a more nuanced story. The two nations first clashed in a friendly at Hampden shortly before the 1966 World Cup. In that match, Jim Baxter’s clever pass found Stevie Chalmers, who elegantly scored. Servilio equalized soon after, but Billy Bremner effectively neutralized Pelé, while Baxter orchestrated the game against the then-defending champions. It was reported that “Scotland captured almost everything but the victory their play so richly deserved.” Scotland’s performance was commendable, though they fell short of victory.
Their first competitive encounter also ended in a stalemate, with Bremner missing a close opportunity at the 1974 World Cup. The game ended goalless, and Scotland exited the tournament at the group stage, albeit undefeated. Subsequent meetings in World Cups have not favored Scotland either, with Brazil claiming victory in all three. Scotland faced misfortune in 1990, characterized by Jim Leighton’s late mistake allowing Müller to score, and Claudio Taffarel’s crucial save from Mo Johnston. In 1998, an own goal by Tom Boyd sealed their fate, and the 4-1 defeat in Seville in 1982 showcased Brazil’s samba soccer at its finest.
This context may tempt fate as they meet again tonight. While this may not be Brazil’s most talented squad, they still boast players like Vinícius Júnior, Matheus Cunha, Rayan, and Neymar. Scotland, on the other hand, will rely on Scott McTominay and John McGinn to find their form to have any chance for an upset. However, hope is a complex notion tonight, as Scotland doesn’t necessarily need a win or even a draw to advance to the knockout stage for the first time in their history. They could still progress even after a heavy defeat, depending on results from other groups. So, the hope is that at least a point can be salvaged for Steve Clarke and his determined players. Kick-off is scheduled for 11 PM BST. It’s on!
* Am I overreacting? Perhaps, but it comes with the territory.
