Carlo Ancelotti Celebrates First Victory as Brazil’s Coach with World Cup Qualification

Brazil clinched their spot for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and secured their inaugural victory under the management of Carlo Ancelotti with a narrow 1-0 triumph over Paraguay in Sao Paulo, continuing their impressive record with a sixth consecutive home win against this opponent.

Following a lacklustre draw against Ecuador in his debut match, Ancelotti sought a spirited response from a squad that had previously suffered a 1-0 defeat in the fixture played in Paraguay. The Italian made three alterations to his starting line-up, bringing Raphinha back into the fold, yet the Selecao struggled to find their rhythm in the attacking third.

The best opportunity in the first 30 minutes came when Vinicius Junior failed to convert Matheus Cunha’s square pass into the net, while at the other end, Alisson was momentarily alarmed as Juan Cáceres’ scissor kick went just past his goal.

With Paraguay conceding nearly three-quarters of possession, fatigue set in as half-time approached. The visitors were fortunate to remain level when Gabriel Martinelli found Cunha at the back post, but the Manchester United new recruit hesitated, opting for a cushioned header rather than directing the ball into the empty net.

Cunha made amends for that blunder by seizing on a loose ball after Raphinha successfully drew three defenders away, and squared it for Vinícius to power home the opener just before the break.

The relentless pressure from Brazil continued after half-time, but genuine chances remained scarce. Gatito Fernández was called into action primarily to deal with a lobbed effort from Bruno Guimaraes, which he expertly diverted. Paraguay then gained a bit of momentum as the match progressed, even threatening an equaliser in unusual circumstances when Brazil failed to clear a long throw, allowing Júnior Alonso to head narrowly over the bar.

However, the hosts quickly regained control and were denied a second goal by a couple of impressive saves from Fernández, who thwarted attempts from Raphinha and Guimaraes. Ultimately, one goal proved sufficient for Brazil, earning them a place at next summer’s finals with just their second victory in six World Cup qualifying matches.

For Paraguay, this defeat marked their first in ten qualifiers, though they require just one more point from their last two matches to secure their return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010.