Brazil don suffer for early minutes of di Round of 16 match against Norway for 2026 World Cup. But dem get penalty wey go give dem 1-0 lead. However, against all odds, na Bruno Guimaraes carry di ball go di spot, no be Vinicius Jr.
Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland deny Guimaraes’ poorly taken penalty. Di decision no to let Vini take am don show say e be bad one. Na Brazil first penalty for di 2026 World Cup, so nobody really know who go take am. But most signs dey point to Vinicius Jr.
Guimaraes maybe no dey many fans’ bingo cards. Whether di players demself decide am (as e often be for star-studded teams) or Carlo Ancelotti and im staff don decide before match, we no know. Maybe di head coach or players go reveal am after match. Whether dem do am for victory or defeat, only time go tell.
According to Transfermarkt, Guimaraes don score only three penalties for im whole career. He don be perfect from di spot, wey im don score every attempt until im misstep against Norway. But im sample size still too small.
Hindsight na 20/20, and Brazil fit see im penalty-taking ability every day for training. But considering di goalscorers for di team, Guimaraes selection make little sense as e line up before di ball. After we see how im take im chance to score im first goal for 2026 World Cup, e make even less sense.
Matheus Cunha for make more sense, considering e draw di foul inside di box. Still, na di midfielder wey grab di ball and take di shot. Im mid-height effort be like book wey Nyland read well, and Norway steer clear of disastrous start to elimination game.
Cunha don foul, Guimaraes shoot, but Nyland make di save. As for Vinicius Jr, e don score some very important penalties. Per Transfermarkt, Vini don score 13 penalties and miss six. Looking only at im penalties for Brazil, im numbers drop. Im misses come against Venezuela (2026 World Cup qualifiers) and Chile (international friendly). Maybe those previous misses cast long shadow wey Vinicius no want face against Norway for 2026 World Cup.
