Brazil defender Douglas Santos has warned his team not to underestimate Haiti after a frustrating start to the World Cup, insisting that the five-time champions cannot afford complacency following a 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opening match.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side struggled to find control against Morocco in New Jersey and now face a must-win assignment against Group C outsiders Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday, with a victory seen as the quickest route to easing the pressure building after the shaky debut.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, where the squad is based, Santos stressed that Brazil must respect the occasion and the opponent. “We can’t allow ourselves that kind of talk that it’s Haiti and we’re going to beat them by a big margin,” he said.
He added: “We have to keep our feet on the ground, be humble and know that the three points are the most important thing right now.”
Haiti, competing in the World Cup for the first time since 1974, came into the tournament on the back of a narrow defeat. The team lost 1-0 to Scotland in a closely fought match in Boston on Saturday.
Douglas Santos highlighted Haiti’s physical presence and competitiveness after watching their previous outing. “They are a physically strong team, with an intensity that, from what I saw against Scotland, shows they are very competitive. It will be a very difficult match, and the first thing we have to think about is winning,” he said.
The 32-year-old, who started against Morocco, acknowledged that Brazil will need to raise their level, particularly at the defensive end. He pointed out that the Selecao have conceded at least once in each of their last six matches and that they will have to “play much better” and tighten up.
Santos also expressed confidence that Brazil can reset quickly now that the disappointment of the opener has passed, with the team still chasing a first World Cup title since 2002.
“There are a lot of hard-fought games, a lot of draws… So we have to be prepared emotionally and physically to be able to give our very best,” said the Zenit Saint Petersburg left-back.
He further suggested there is optimism inside the camp that Neymar could return soon after a calf injury has kept him out for the past month. “We’re praying for him to get back to 100%, because when he’s at 100% he’ll be someone who can help us a lot,” Santos said.
