Brazil will compete without forward Raphinha for their Wednesday fixture against Scotland in Miami Gardens, Florida, after the Barcelona winger sustained a hamstring injury. The injury occurred in the 40th minute of Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Haiti on Friday.
Neymar’s availability presents a positive development for Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, as the 34-year-old recovered from a calf injury and is prepared to feature in a fourth consecutive World Cup. The veteran forward has accumulated eight goals and four assists across previous World Cup campaigns.
Ancelotti confirmed Neymar’s fitness and readiness, stating: “He is available, he trained very well this week. He is fit and able and ready to play. He can play from halftime or the whole 90 minutes.”
Rayan, the 19-year-old Bournemouth prospect who made his Brazilian debut earlier this year, replaced Raphinha against Haiti. While Ancelotti praised Rayan’s performance, he stopped short of confirming his starting role against Scotland.
Brazil enters the match with a 1-0-1 record and four points, while Scotland sits at 1-1-0 with three points. A draw would secure Brazil’s progression to the round of 32. In the same group, Morocco faces Haiti in Atlanta later Wednesday.
