Brazil draws 0-0 against Ecuador in Ancelotti's debut qualifier
Brazil drew 0-0 in their visit to Ecuador this Thursday (5) in the debut of their new coach, Italian Carlo Ancelotti, in the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The two teams played an intense and clean match from start to finish at the Monumental Stadium in Guayaquil, in the southwest of the country.
The draw prolongs the anguish for both teams. Ecuador, which could have secured its place in the World Cup if it had won, remains in second place with 24 points, followed by Paraguay, which has the same number of points but a lower goal difference.
Brazil, which will host the Paraguayan team, remained in fourth place, with 22 points.
“We are satisfied and confident for the next match,” said Ancelotti, who praised his team’s defensive ability.
For those who expected the Brazilian team to display attractive and attacking football in Carlo Ancelotti's debut, there was a certain disappointment.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who has featured little, contrary to expectations, has asked for time so that Ancelotti can implement his ideas.
“I am very happy to have Ancelotti here with us because I have always said that he is the best coach I have ever worked with. Having the opportunity to work with him in the Brazilian national team is the best,” said the striker after the match.
“He didn’t have time to show his work, his game plan, because he only had two or three days of training,” continued the winger in an interview with SporTV.
Ancelotti stood on the edge of the pitch with his usual reserved expression, which does not necessarily mean he is angry, wearing trousers, a jacket, a shirt and a tie of different colours.
Seconds before the start of the game, the coach did what he usually does: he put a piece of gum in his mouth to chew, which helps him control his anxiety during the game, as he himself explained.
There was also tension for 'La Tricolor' before the start of the match, when goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez left the field in tears. An injury forced him out of the game and Gonzalo Valle, who made his debut for the Ecuadorian national team on Thursday, came on in his place.
Valle saved his team from a powerful shot by Vinícius in the 22nd minute. The Brazilians managed to recover the ball on the rebound, but the goalkeeper saved it again.
The visitors were again in danger after 30 minutes, when a run from Estêvão tested Valle once again.
With Piero Hincapié and Willian Pacho at the front, the Ecuadorian wall showed its efficiency in containing Brazil's advances, this time led on the field by Marquinhos.
Skilled in immediate recovery and precise in distributing the ball, they managed to suffocate the Brazilian team at times.
“I think we neutralized the speed of their attackers very well, who are as fast as ours, and I think it was a match that we were very satisfied with,” said Ecuador's Argentine coach, Sebastián Beccacece.
Ecuador excelled in midfield and defense but once again struggled in attack. The triangles between young debutant Nilson Angulo, Pedro Vite and John Yeboah proved effective for Beccacece, who this time did not have his usual forwards.
“We deserved to win because we did everything we could, we always went for the result,” said Pacho, who lamented his team’s lack of precision when it came to scoring goals.
Ecuador's best chance came in the final minutes of the match, when 'La Tricolor' accelerated and cornered Ancelotti's team. From the 70th minute onwards, the team gained depth. A long-range shot from Pervis Estupiñan in the 77th minute got the crowd going.
Two minutes earlier, Casemiro's right-footed shot had sent the stadium shaking, but once again Valle's reflexes frustrated the Brazilians.
After the match, goalkeeper Valle said it was a game of “hard work, a lot of fighting” and was satisfied with the team’s performance and the point won.
Ancelotti praised the Ecuadorians. “We have to take into account the strength of our opponent because Ecuador played a good match,” he told a news conference.
Vinicius Junior made an appeal: “I think the team, the fans, everyone, we have to be united, because the World Cup is coming”, he said.
Lineups:
Ecuador: Gonzalo Valle – Joel Ordóñez, William Pacho, Piero Hincapié (cap), Pervis Estupinan – Nilson Angulo (Yaimar Medina 89′), Moisés Caicedo, Pedro Vite, John Yeboah (Kevin Rodriguez 78′), Alan Minda (Angelo Preçado 46′) – Franco Palma. Coach: Sebastian Beccacece.
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti.
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