Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil debut ends scoreless against Ecuador in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Ecuador and Brazil played to a scoreless draw on Matchday 15 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, marking Carlo Ancelotti's debut as head coach of La Canarinha.
Carlo Ancelotti’s highly anticipated debut as Brazil’s head coach ended in a goalless draw against Ecuador at the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha on Matchday 15 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Following Brazil‘s humiliating 4-1 loss to Argentina, Ancelotti stepped in as the new manager, aiming to turn things around. However, La Canarinha showed little improvement in his first game in charge.
The match remained scrappy and tightly contested from start to finish, with both teams struggling to generate clear scoring opportunities. The first shot of the game didn’t come until the 20th minute, underscoring the lack of creativity on display.
In the second half, Ecuador pressed harder in search of a breakthrough, with John Yeboah attempting a few efforts. However, none posed a real challenge for Alisson, who handled them with ease.
With this result, Ecuador stay second in the standings with 24 points, while Brazil remain in fourth place with 22. Ancelotti’s next challenge will be against Paraguay, fresh off a victory over Uruguay, on Tuesday, June 10. Meanwhile, Ecuador will look to secure their World Cup berth when they face Peru the same day.
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END OF THE GAME! (0-0)
The match between Ecuador and Brazil ended in a goalless draw.
Thanks for joining us!
Ecuador and Brazil tied goalless at the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers and you lived every moment of this game here.
Thanks for staying with us, see you next time!
92'- Estupiñan misses the last chance! (0-0)
Dervis Estupiñan took a shot from outside the box, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
77'- Changes in both sides (0-0)
In Ecuador, John Yeboah leaves the field to make way for Kevin Rodriguez.
In Brazil, Gerson is out of the game andd Andrey Santos comes in
75'- Casemiro misses a huge chance! (0-0)
After a play by Vinícius Jr., he set up Casemiro, who fired a shot from inside the box. However, Valles was there to make the save and keep Ecuador from conceding.
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63'- Brazil make two substitution (0-0)
Richarlison and Willian Estevao leave the field, making way to Matheus Cunha and Gabriel Martinelli.
58'- The match continues along the same path as the first half (0-0)
Both teams are solid defensively, preventing any clear attacking opportunities from being created. If this trend persists, the game will likely end in a draw.
46'- First substitution of the game (0-0)
Ecuador make the first substitution of the game, as Alan Minda leaves the field to make way for Angelo Preciado.
Second half underway! (0-0)
The game is on again!
HALFTIME (0-0)
The game goes to halftime goalless.
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33'- Casemiro misses a chance for Brazil (0-0)
In the few notable moments so far, Casemiro connected with a header off a cross from Vinícius Jr., but the ball sailed over the crossbar.
21'- Valle saves the first shot of the game! (0-0)
After a Ecuador's mistake, Brazil capitalized on the opportunity, and Vinícius Jr. registered the first shot of the match. However, Valle handled it comfortably
15'- Things remain very even in the match (0-0)
The game is tightly contested, with neither team managing to break the deadlock so far. Up to this point, there hasn’t been a single shot on target.
8'- Ecuador are a bit more aggressive than Brazil (0-0)
The match started evenly without major surprises, but Ecuador are taking slightly more initiative on the attack.
GAME ON! (0-0)
Ecuador and Brazil have kicked off the Matchday 15 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers!
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Last minute change in Ecuador!
Ecuador's goalkeeper Hernan Galindez suffered an injury during the warm-up and won't be part of the game. Gonzalo Valle will be the starting goalkeeper of the game.
Both teams doing warm-up activities!
Ecuador and Brazil are doing warm-up activities on the field. In a few minutes the game will begin!
Carlo Ancelotti's first lineup as Brazil's head coach is expected to be: Alisson; Vanderson, Marquinhos, Alexsandro, Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Andreas, Andrey Santos, Estavao Willian; Vinicius Jr., and Richarlison.
Sebastian Becaccece is expected to field the following team for today's match: Hernan Galíndez; Angelo Preciado, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié, Dervis Estupiñán; Alan Franco, Moises Caicedo, Kendry Páez; John Yeboah, Alan Minda, and Nilson Angulo.
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Incidents reported inside the stadium
According to Emergencias EC, electrical short circuits have been reported at the press entrance of the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha just hours before the highly anticipated World Cup Qualifier between Ecuador and Brazil.
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Today’s referee
Piero Maza from Chile has been appointed to officiate the clash between Ecuador and Brazil. The Chilean referee brings experience from high-level tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, and Copa America.
The full officiating team for today's game:
Referee: PieroMaza (CHL)
Assistant Referee 1: ClaudioUrrutia (CHL)
Assistant Referee 2: Alejandro Molina (CHL)
Fourth Official: FranciscoGilaber (CHL)
VAR: José Cobero (CHL)
Assistant VAR (AVAR): EdsonCisternas (CHL)
Kick off time and how to watch
The clash between Ecuador and Brazil for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers will kick off at 7:00 PM (ET).
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he now covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA.
