MONTEVIDEO: A goal by Vinicius Junior secured Brazil a place in the 2026 World Cup, quite a momentous home debut for Carlo Ancelotti as head coach.
The once prolific duo at Real Madrid helped Brazil to a 1-0 win over Paraguay at Sao Paulo, the first win of Ancelotti’s reign. Ecuador secured their place at next year’s global tournament later Tuesday with a 0-0 draw at Peru.
Defending champions Argentina, held to a 1-1 draw by Colombia, had already qualified and are assured of finishing atop South American qualifying.
Ecuador and Brazil each have 25 points in the standings, but the Ecuadorians are in second spot based on victories. The two nations are 10 points behind Argentina but, crucially beyond the reach of Venezuela in seventh place with two games remaining in the qualifying campaign.
The top six teams in South America earn direct entries to the 48-team World Cup.
Uruguay beat Venezuela at home 2-0, with goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and edged closer to one of the direct spots with 24 points.
Paraguay (24) and Colombia (22) occupy the remaining two automatic qualification positions ahead of the final two fixtures in September.
Venezuela, with 18, are one ahead of Bolivia in the contest for seventh place that grants an intercontinental playoff berth.
Chile will miss a third consecutive World Cup after losing 2-0 at Bolivia to remain last in 10-nation round-robin competition, a result that cost head coach Ricardo Gareca his job.
Ancelotti received some frustration from fans after Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Ecuador, as his team focused on defending the entire match. The Italian coach, who turned 66 on Tuesday, promised changes to make his team more aggressive at the NeoQuimica Arena.
He was welcomed by 46,000 fans, including NBA star Gianni Antetokounmpo, who displayed a tifo in yellow and green that read “Parabens, Carleto” (Happy birthday, Carleto in Portuguese).
Gabriel Martinelli replaced midfielder Gerson and was one of the best players of the encounter. Raphinha returned after suspension and created many problems for Paraguay’s defence. And Vinicius was often seen as a targetman, sharing the duties with new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha.
Brazil had struggled to create many chances up until Vinicius scored the only goal just before half-time, with Cunha squandering a golden chance in the 35th minute after heading wide from point-blank range.
Cunha made up for it with a key part in the goal, capitalizing on good work from Raphinha to dart into the box and whip in a low cross for Vinicius, who stabbed home the finish from close range in the 44th minute.
Despite the low score, the hosts were much more aggressive than in most of their games in this World Cup qualifying campaign.
“I’m very happy with today’s result. We needed to win at home for our fans too and qualify for the World Cup, which was our goal,” Vinicius said. “Now [Ancelotti] will have more time to work, to see what he can improve. Today wasn’t one of our best games, but the important thing in qualifying is to win and prepare well for the World Cup.”
Brazil extended their record as the only team to play in every edition of the World Cup, with the five-times winners set to make their 23rd appearance in next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After the final whistle, a clip of Ancelotti’s first days on the job was shown in big screens around the stadium. A raucous celebration erupted again, as if the Italian coach had brought new life to a team that only three months ago appeared lost and doomed.
“It was a good match with a very good first half, although obviously we suffered a bit because Paraguay are very solid opponents and we slowed down a bit in the second,” Ancelotti said.
Looking ahead to next summer, Ancelotti said he had “a very long list” of 70 players in mind, including Neymar, who was missing with injury.
He added: “I really liked those who were with me in this squad for their commitment, their attitude, and the atmosphere.”
He said the team was balanced despite having four strikers. He also said that Cunha’s role, as a playmaker, is the one he figures will be Neymar’s if the veteran fully recovers his fitness.
“It’s no problem to play with three or four up front. We need 10 players to run, to sacrifice,” Ancelotti said. “Rodrygo did this many times, I know him well. And Neymar will also do it.”
Surprise package Ecuador qualified for their second straight World Cup by avoiding defeat in Lima. The visitors were penned in their own half for the final 20 minutes after midfielder Alan Franco was shown a second yellow card.
The draw all but ended Peru’s hopes of qualifying, leaving them with 12 points, six behind Venezuela.
GOLDEN GENERATION GONE
Chile’s golden generation won back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016 but are out of contention for next year’s expanded 48-team tournament.
“Sad, I am feeling bad. Never lived something like this. We have to ask people to forgive us,” veteran Chile striker Alexis Sanchez said. “We have to keep working. There’s change already, the golden generation is buried, I am the only one left.”
Bolivia scored first via Miguel Terceros in the fifth minute and added a second in the 90th with Enzo Monteiro at the 4,150-meter high El Alto Stadium, outside La Paz.
Gareca, the 67-year-old Argentinian coach who took Peru to the 2018 World Cup, told a post-game news conference he was leaving the team after a 17-match stretch that included four wins, four draws and nine losses.
Earlier, Uruguay snapped a four-match winless run in South American qualifiers with their win over Venezuela at the Estadio Centenario.
Uruguay dominated much of the first half but struggled to break down a well-organised Venezuelan defence until Aguirre put the hosts ahead in the 42nd minute, heading in at the far post from a Maxi Araujo corner.
De Arrascaeta doubled Uruguay’s lead just two minutes into the second half, firing a superb shot into the top-left corner to seal a win that secures Marcelo Bielsa’s side of at least an inter-confederation playoff berth.
Uruguay need only one point from their final two matches against Peru and Chile to make sure of a place at the finals.
Lionel Messi had a quiet night but Argentina came from behind to frustrate Colombia in Buenos Aires.
Liverpool star Luis Diaz fired Colombia into the lead with a superb 24th minute goal, and the Colombians were given a further boost midway through the second half when the world champions were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez’s dismissal to the disappointment of more than 80,000 fans at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium.
But Colombia’s hopes of a vital win were dashed nine minutes from time when Thiago Almada weaved into the box and found the target to level.
Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2025
