Today's match against Paraguay was immensely important for Brazil, as they sought to secure their World Cup spot, mark coach Carlo Ancelotti's home debut, and showcase their strength. And in that crucial match, Brazil clinched a great victory. Vinicius Jr.'s goal sealed a 1-0 win for Brazil against Paraguay.
However, the narrow scoreline doesn't fully reflect the match. In reality, Brazil, who appeared shaky in their previous match against Ecuador, made a strong comeback in this game, delivering dynamic and offensive football.
Brazil dominated possession with 73% and took 11 shots, with 4 on target. Ancelotti's tactical influence was clearly evident in Brazil's play today. This win also confirms Brazil's World Cup qualification from South America.
Ancelotti celebrated his 66th birthday a day before his home debut. Before the match, he had asked his players for a win as a gift, and his pupils didn't disappoint him. Alongside the victory, Vinicius and Raphinha delivered a determined performance in São Paulo today.
Brazil's performance in the previous match against Ecuador had been heavily scrutinized, particularly the noticeable weakness in their attack. Ancelotti's team managed only 3 shots throughout that entire game. After the match, the Brazilian coach himself spoke about the need to increase attacking pace. To that end, there were talks of three significant changes to the starting lineup.
The match began with the very three changes that Brazilian media had reported. Gabriel Martinelli, Raphinha, and Matheus Cunha were given starts in place of Gerson, Estêvão, and Richarlison. The impact of these changes was clear in the team's play.
Brazil, who struggled to attack in the previous match, delivered an aggressive performance from the start today. From the first minute, they maintained possession and launched wave after wave of attacks. However, despite their attacks, they couldn't break through Paraguay's defense. Brazil's attacks were often thwarted inside the box. Finally, in the 44th minute, Vinicius's goal put Brazil ahead.
In a coordinated attack, Cunha received the ball from Raphinha. He then passed it into the box for Vinicius, who scored with a superb finish, giving Brazil the lead. Brazil went into halftime with this advantage.
The pace of the match slowed somewhat at the start of the second half. Paraguay tried to create danger for Brazil with a few attacks, but they lacked enough power to breach Brazil's well-organized defense. Brazil soon regained control of the game. In the 59th minute, they narrowly missed a second goal from a Bruno Guimarães header.
Towards the end of the match, Brazil significantly increased their attacking tempo in an effort to extend their lead. They came close several times but ultimately couldn't find the desired second goal. Brazil left the field with a 1-0 victory, thanks to Vinicius's lone goal.
In the South American qualifiers, Brazil sits in second place with 25 points from 16 matches. Argentina leads the table with 35 points from an equal number of matches.
Meanwhile, Chile was knocked out of the race to reach the 2026 World Cup after losing 2-0 to Bolivia. They are at the bottom of the points table with 10 points from 16 matches.
