Ecuador and Brazil Play Out Goalless Draw in Carlo Ancelotti’s Debut Match

Carlo Ancelotti’s reign as head coach of Brazil began on a lacklustre note, with the Selecao drawing 0-0 against Ecuador during their CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifying (WCQ) match. This result prolonged the hosts’ winless streak against their opponents to 14 encounters.

Ecuador faced some challenges with squad selection, missing veteran striker Enner Valencia and having goalkeeper Hernan Galindez injured during the warm-up. Gonzalo Valle made his senior international debut in a starting role, but both he and Brazil’s Alisson were largely untroubled during a cautious opening phase, where Ecuador dominated possession.

However, their calmness on the ball nearly backfired midway through the first half when Pervis Estupinan was dispossessed in his own defensive third by Estevao. Gerson then passed to Vinicius Junior, but Valle was quick off his line to deflect the shot.

Returning to a Brazil side that had lost all four away matches against higher-ranked opposition in this qualifying cycle, Casemiro missed a header at the back post, while the lone shot on target for the hosts prior to half-time came from John Yeboah, which posed no real threat.

With a notable lack of quality in the attacking third and the fact that only one of Ecuador’s last eleven WCQ games had seen both teams find the net, the stage was set for someone to emerge as a match-winner in the second half.

However, the start of the second half was even more tedious than the first, with the first attempt on goal not coming until the 67th minute.

Again, it was Yeboah who sent a weak shot towards Alisson, as Ecuador appeared the more proactive side without creating significant chances. Brazil’s attacking efforts showed a flicker of life 15 minutes from time when Vinícius’ cutback found Casemiro, but his low shot was comfortably saved by Valle.

Alisson then made a diving save to his left, stopping Estupiñán’s long-range effort, as Brazil weathered some late pressure to secure a draw that leaves them with just one win from their last five WCQ outings.

Despite their recent challenges, the five-time champions are still well-positioned to qualify for the World Cup finals, while Ecuador looks set to do so for a second consecutive tournament after extending their unbeaten home record in WCQ to 14 matches.