Carlo Ancelotti on Brazil premiere: "A special day"
Many shadows and only a few lights in Carlo Ancelotti’s debut on the Brazil bench. In the World Cup qualifier, the green-golds drew 0-0 in Guayaquil against Ecuador’Ecuador. The Selecao suffered for a long time from the opponents’aggressiveness, denoting a not very fluid maneuver and creating few chances, with Vinicius only brilliant at times. A few shivers, however, were run through Alisson’s sides, especially in the first half and in the final. In the evening’s other match, Paraguay defeated Uruguay 2-0 with goals from Galarza and Enciso.
“I have played more than 1,200 games as a coach and today was my first game as Brazil ct and it was something special. For me it is a gift to be here,” Ancelotti said. “Coaching a national team – he added – involves a different feeling than representing a club, because here you have the feeling of having a country behind you. Our goal is to qualify and fight for the World Cup, to try to take Brazil to the top of world soccer, where it has always been. We will fight to succeed”.
Ancelotti judged the one against Ecuador ’an “excellent defensive game for both teams. Our team –he noted –had a very good attitude and order, and at times exerted good offensive pressure. We hardly conceded any chances. The turn of the ball could have been a little more fluid, but it is a good draw, with a good performance. We leave satisfied and confident for the next game. Ecuador defended very well and it was not easy to find space between the lines”.
“I think against Paraguay it will be different – concluded the Italian coach’because we will have more opportunities to control the game, a game with more pace, mobility and intensity. We leave here confident, with a good point and with the goal of winning the next game”.
