Ancelotti’s Brazil Debut Ends in Draw Against Ecuador
Carlo Ancelotti had a disappointing start as the new coach of the Brazil national football team, with his squad drawing 0-0 against Ecuador in the South American World Cup qualifiers on June 5. This result puts pressure on Ancelotti, who recently ended his time at Real Madrid.
Brazil struggled to break through Ecuador’s well-organized defense, managing only a few opportunities in the first half. The best chance came from Vinicius Jr. after a pass from Gerson, but his shot was saved by Ecuador’s goalkeeper, Gonzalo Valle. In the second half, Ecuador nearly took the lead when John Yeboah sent a through ball, but Nilson Angulo was caught offside.
Despite having the better chances throughout the match, Brazil could not find the back of the net. Richarlison missed a key opportunity, and Casemiro’s long-range attempt was again blocked by Valle.
Following the game, Casemiro expressed optimism about the team’s progress and the positive environment in the locker room. "We know we need to keep improving, but we’re getting better little by little. It’s only been a few days with the new coach. The dynamic and atmosphere are great," he said.
Vinicius Jr. added that Ancelotti still has more tactics to reveal, noting that they have only had a couple of training sessions under him. "He hasn’t had the chance to show us his full game plan yet," he said.
With this result, Brazil sits in fourth place in the World Cup qualifier standings with 22 points, while Ecuador stays in second with 24 points. Brazil’s next match will be against Paraguay, who recently beat Uruguay 2-0. Argentina currently leads the qualifiers with 34 points after their 1-0 victory against Chile.
