Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil debut is a flat 0-0 draw against Ecuador

Carlo Ancelotti's debut as Brazil's manager has been disappointing, to say the least. However, I doubt neither Brazil nor Ecuador are particularly disappointed themselves, as the 0-0 result is good enough for both to put their World Cup 2026 qualification on track: Brazil, with 22 points, and Ecuador, with 24 points, are above the play-off spot, held by Venezuela with 15 points.

That is not to say it's enough, and the former Real Madrid manager still needs to do a lot of work to sharpen a lacklustre team, well bellow the quality of their individual players, including Casemiro in his return to the canarinha. Only 3 shots for Brazil, facing an always complicated Ecuador -they have only conceded five goals in 15 matches-.

Ancelotti has another shot of making a difference next Wednesday, June 11, against Paraguay at home, as part of World Cup 2026 qualifiers, that also saw Chile losing at home to Argentina with a goal by Julián Álvarez and missing almost all options to qualify for the World Cup, unless they advance through inter-confederation play-offs.