Ecuador vs. Brazil: WCQ Match Preview, Odds & Prediction

On Thursday night, in Guayaquil, Brazil's national team will be led by Carlo Ancelotti in his first managerial role against Ecuador. Brazil no longer has to worry about falling short of qualifying for the championships, as the former Real Madrid manager takes over for Dorival Junior, who was fired after Brazil's 4-1 loss to Argentina in March.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

Brazil's manager, Ancelotti, must turn a dismal qualifying campaign into a winning and appealing football performance to avoid a potential loss to the finals. Brazil leads Venezuela by six points, but without the enlarged World Cup format, they would have been at risk of never making it to the finals. The fact that Brazil will now play the team in second place away from home makes it clear that a victory in their last two home games against Paraguay and Chile would not be enough to propel them to a higher ranking.

Ancelotti has more time to implement his ideas without as much pressure on results following Brazil's near miss of qualifying for next summer's World Cup due to a dismal 11-point performance. Ecuador, despite its poor history in this region, has maintained an undefeated home record, collecting 17 points from seven matches. Only Paraguay and Colombia have been able to score against Ecuador, and both teams have managed a scoreless stalemate against Beccacece's squad.

Despite Ecuador's three-game winning streak ending in a 0-0 draw away to Chile, they will almost certainly qualify for their second consecutive World Cup this month.

Ecuador x Brazil Team News

Given that the four players absent this time are all rookies, the roster resembles the one that was summoned from Ecuador in March.

Beccacece has maintained the very same starting eleven throughout qualification, and the team's consistency has undoubtedly contributed to their success.

Champions League champion Willian Pacho, seasoned veteran Enner Valencia (three caps away from 100), and 23-year-old Chelsea sensation Moises Caicedo are all expected to start.

Just days after helping Paris Saint-Germain win the title in Munich, Pacho's defensive partner Marquinhos was picked for the Brazil squad. He will play for the opposition side.

Rodrygo and Neymar are sidelined for the season due to injuries and a lack of fitness. Cesar Ancelotti has promised that his Brazil squad would mimic Real Madrid's style of play, but Ancelotti has included just Vinicius Junior—no Eder Militao or Endrick—in his roster.

Quite a few players from the Premier League aren't there this time around. Of the total squad, just seven are English nationals, down from over half in March. Notable omissions include João Gomes, André, Gabriel Magalhães, João Pedro, and Murillo, among many others.

Our Predictions

Full-time draw @ 3.15 on Sky247.ng

Starting his reign with a match against Ecuador, a team that has gone undefeated at home in qualifying, could not have been a more challenging assignment for Ancelotti.

If Venezuela loses to Bolivia, the hosts might secure their spot in the finals with a victory here. However, Brazil is playing its best under its new manager and has a point to prove. The hosts have been outstanding all season and are improving at an alarming rate.

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