Brazil ended their losing streak in the South American World Cup qualifiers with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Friday, courtesy of a first-half goal from Real Madrid forward Rodrygo. The win lifted Brazil to fourth in the standings with 10 points, trailing leaders Argentina by eight points and just two points ahead of Ecuador, who sit in sixth—the last automatic qualifying spot for the 2026 World Cup.
Coming off a disappointing Copa America quarter-final defeat to Uruguay, Brazil once again struggled to find form. Despite dominating possession, the five-time world champions lacked creativity, misplacing passes and failing to break down Ecuador’s solid defense. The visitors’ high pressing disrupted Brazil’s flow, forcing them into horizontal play and long-range efforts.
Rodrygo provided Brazil’s only significant moments in the first half, testing the goalkeeper early with a free-kick and scoring the decisive goal in the 29th minute with a deflected shot that wrong-footed the Ecuadorian keeper before hitting the post and going in.
Ecuador nearly equalized just before halftime, but a crucial goal-line clearance by Gabriel Magalhaes denied Moises Caicedo’s close-range effort. The second half saw Brazil’s performance dip further, with Vinicius Jr creating the only shot on target in a tense and uninspiring display, leading to boos from the home crowd at the final whistle.
“We needed this win, it doesn’t matter if it was ugly,” Rodrygo told Brazilian TV Globo. “I’m happy with the victory and to have scored. I hope it helps us improve and reach the level we want moving forward.”
Brazil will next face Paraguay in Asuncion on Tuesday, while Ecuador will host Peru in Quito on Monday.
