Brazil to face World Cup–aspiring Ecuador

With its place in the Qatar World Cup already secured, the Brazilian team are facing Ecuador at 6 pm (Brasília time) this Thursday (Jan. 27) in Quito, as part of the 15th round of the South American Qualification. Ranking third with 23 points, the adversary is still seeking to bag a spot in the World Cup this year. Brazil stands atop the chart with a 35-point score, followed by Argentina, with 29.

For the first fixture in the year, Brazil’s coach Tite said there may be changes to the line-up of the Brazilian squad. However, the presence of striker trio Raphinho, Matheus Cunha, and Vinícius Júnior against Argentina, he said, is a given.

Among the novelties on the field tonight may be attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho after a one-year hiatus away from the squad. A newcomer in Aston Villa (England), the Brazilian displayed good physical state on his debut sporting the team’s jersey on January 15 in the English tournament. Coutinho made the difference on the Brazilian team in the qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Expected on the field to represent Brazil are Alisson, Emerson Royal, Éder Militão, Thiago Silva, and Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Fred, and Philippe Coutinho; Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, and Vinícius Júnior.