A Brazil full of attackers and with broad domain on the court thrashed this Thursday by 3-0 to Chili With goals from Estêvão, Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Guimaraes, and assumed second place in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on the penultimate date. The offensive Brazil mounted by coach Carlo Ancelotti, who began the game with four strikers (Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, Estêvão and João Pedro), only won a goal in the first half despite the total control of the game.
But the effectiveness of the Canarinha increased even more in the second half with the entrance of three other strikers (Richarlison, Luiz Henrique and Kaio Jorge) and thanks to the barrier mounted by Chile in its rear, it no longer had so much effectiveness. The Canarinha, who had already guaranteed quota in the World Cup, took advantage of Ecuador’s draw to assume second place, with 28 points, 10 from the unattainable Argentine leader.
Ancelotti team took advantage of a eliminated Chile that renewed its team, aligned several young players and wanted to play equally with Brazil at the start of the game with three strikers. Brazil began pressing from the first minute and in the first measures had clear opportunities with Gabriel Martinelli and Estêvão, who failed when trying to turn within the area.
With Raphinha moving throughout the court and as responsible for the shots of all the offenses and corner shots, the premises practically cornered visitors in their area and Chile just tried counterattacks. The Estêvão association in the left tip and Raphinha through the center allowed Brazil to generate several danger plays that were neutralized by the Chilean defense.
Raphinha, the whole game very active
Despite the broad Brazilian dominance, with 60 % of the ball control and six ending against any Chilean, the red one opens the score in the 22nd minute in a backlash in which Brereson was face to face with Alisson before Marquinhos recovered and neutralized it and before the arbitrator whistled an out of place.
After a strong Brazilian pressure, with several finishes rejected by the Chilean defense, Brazil put an advantage in the 38th minute with a play on the left and after Estêvão took advantage of the ball left by Vigouroux after a raphinha balloon. It was the first goal of Chelsea’s 18 -year -old striker in his sixth game with the Brazilian team.
Chile was saved from losing Maripán, expelled after a foul on Wesley in which he was sanctioned with La Roja, which the referee changed yellow after consulting the VAR. In the last minute before the break, Alisson rejected a ball nodded by Paulo Díaz inside the area that allows Chile to tie, but the referee annulled the play outside the game.
Technical file
3 – Brazil: Alisson; Wesley, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos; Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro (m.66, Andrey Santos); Estêvão (m.66, Luiz Henrique), Raphinha (m.79, Richarlison), Gabriel Martinelli (m.71, Lucas Paquetá) and João Pedro (m.71, Kaio Jorge).
Coacator: Carlo Ancelotti.
0 – Chile: Lawrence Vigouroux; Paulo Díaz, Guillermo Maripán, Iván Román; Fabián Hormazábal, Vicente Pizarro, Felipe Loyola (m.77, Rodrigo Echeverría), Gabriel Suazo; Lucas Cepeda (m.77, Lucas Assadi), Ben Brereton (m.59, Gonzalo Tapia) and Alexander Aravena (m.78, Maximiliano Gutiérrez).
Speaker: Nicolás Córdova.
Goals: 1-0, Estêvão (m. 38); 2-0, Lucas Paquetá (m. 72); 3-0, Bruno Guimaraes (m. 76)
Referee: The Venezuelan Alexis Herrera warned Guillermo Maripán and Casemiro yellow.
Incidents: Punulty Day of the South American Qualifiers of the 2026 World Cup played at the Maracaná Stadium in Rio de Janeiro against 57,326 spectators.
Brazil maintained its wide domain in the second half, with many passes and penetrations, but the ends of its attackers collided with the barrier mounted by Chile within its area. Brazil ‘difficulties to expand encouraged the Chileans, who became more and more in the game, reduced local domain and risked their first direct shots against Alisson.
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But Luiz Henrique’s entrance gave the Canarinha new mood, which managed to attack with more danger and depth. It was precisely a play by Zenit’s footballer, who evaded several rivals, invaded the area and attended the newly admitted Lucas Paquetá in the 72nd minute. Just four minutes later Bruno Guimarães expanded the score by taking advantage of a rebound of a shot by Luiz Henrique, who again invaded the area after evading several Chilean defenses.
