Brazil defeated Paraguay 1-0 in Sao Paulo on Wednesday, securing their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and their first win under new coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti was seeking a comeback from a group of players who had been beaten 1-0 in the reverse fixture following a lifeless draw against Ecuador in his first encounter in command.
The Italian made three changes to his starting lineup, including Raphinha’s recall, but the Selecao continued to struggle in attacking areas.
Their only genuine opportunity of the first half-hour came when Vinicius Junior was unable to convert Matheus Cunha’s square ball, while a scare came at the other end when a Juan Cáceres scissor kick bounced wide of Alisson’s goal.
The hosts quickly regained control, denying a second goal only by two excellent Fernandez saves on Raphinha and Guimaraes.
In the end, one goal was enough for Brazil, who qualified for next summer’s championships with only their second win in six World Cup qualifiers.
Paraguay suffered its first defeat in ten games in this category, but they still need one point from their two remaining matches to qualify for their first World Cup since 2010.
Brazil became the only team to have qualified for all 23 FIFA World Cups since their start in Uruguay in 1930.
The Samba Boys join Ecuador and defending champions Argentina as the three nations from the CONMEBOL region to qualify for next summer’s World Cup.
