Brazil edges Ecuador 1-0 in South American World Cup qualifier

CURITIBA, Brazil: Brazil returned to winning ways in the South American World Cup qualifiers with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Friday. Real Madrid forward Rodrygo scored the decisive goal in the first half, securing the win for the struggling five-time World Cup champions.

After suffering three consecutive defeats in the qualifiers, Brazil did just enough to climb to fourth place in the standings with 10 points. Despite the victory, they remain eight points behind leaders Argentina and only two points ahead of sixth-placed Ecuador, who occupy the final guaranteed spot for the 2026 finals.

Brazil’s next challenge will be an away match against Paraguay in Asuncion on Tuesday, while Ecuador is set to host Peru in Quito on Monday.