Brazil, Ecuador qualify for 2026 World Cup finals
MONTEVIDEO - Brazil and Ecuador secured their spots at the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, taking the second and third of South America's six automatic qualifying berths after champions Argentina booked their ticket in March.
Brazil beat Paraguay 1-0 while Ecuador drew 0-0 with Peru as both teams climbed to 25 points with two matches to play, beyond the reach of Venezuela in seventh place.
Uruguay (24 points), Paraguay (24) and Colombia (22) occupy the remaining three automatic qualification positions ahead of the final two fixtures in September.
Venezuela (18) would earn a playoff spot against a team from another confederation by finishing seventh.
In Sao Paulo, a goal from Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr. on the stroke of halftime made it a winning home debut for Brazil's new coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"I'm very happy with today's result. We needed to win at home for our fans too and qualify for the World Cup, which was our goal," Vinicius said.
"Now (Ancelotti) will have more time to work, to see what he can improve. Today wasn't one of our best games, but the important thing in qualifying is to win and prepare well for the World Cup."
Brazil extended their record as the only team to play in every edition of the World Cup, with the five-times winners set to make their 23rd appearance in next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Ecuador qualified for their second straight World Cup by avoiding defeat in Peru. The visitors were penned in their own half for the final 20 minutes after midfielder Alan Franco was shown a second yellow card.
The draw all but ended Peru's hopes of qualifying, leaving them with 12 points, six behind Venezuela.
Earlier on Tuesday, Uruguay took a step closer to securing a spot with a 2-0 home victory over Venezuela at the Estadio Centenario, a victory which also snapped a four-match winless run in South American qualifiers.
Uruguay dominated much of the first half but struggled to break down a well-organised Venezuelan defence until Rodrigo Aguirre put the hosts ahead in the 42nd minute, heading in at the far post from a Maxi Araujo corner.
Giorgian De Arrascaeta doubled Uruguay's lead just two minutes into the second half, firing a superb shot into the top-left corner to seal a win that secures Marcelo Bielsa's side of at least an inter-confederation playoff berth.
Uruguay need only one point from their final two matches against Peru and Chile to make sure of a place at the finals.
Argentina needed an 81st-minute equaliser from Thiago Almada to cancel out Luis Diaz's goal and secure a draw with Colombia, avoiding a second straight defeat to Nestor Lorenzo's side.
Chile's hopes of reaching the finals ended with a 2-0 loss in Bolivia. Chile coach Ricardo Gareca resigned after the match. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Raducanu powers into Queen's Club quarters as last Briton standing
Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 12, 2025 Russia's Diana Shnaider in action during her round of 16 match against Britain's Katie Boulter REUTERS/Toby Melville Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 12, 2025 Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in action during her round of 16 match against Britain's Heather Watson REUTERS/Toby Melville Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 12, 2025 Britain's Emma Raducanu in action during her round of 16 match against Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova REUTERS/Toby Melville LONDON - Emma Raducanu cruised into the quarter-finals at the Queen's Club Championships with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Rebecca Sramkova on Thursday but fellow Britons Katie Boulter and Heather Watson were knocked out. The stands at the Andy Murray Arena were packed for Raducanu's victory as she advanced as the lone Briton left in the tournament and she will potentially play top seed and Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who is playing later on Thursday. Raducanu raced into a 5-0 lead as the 22-year-old looked at ease on the grass but Sramkova saved two set points in the sixth game, finding her range in a comeback that quickly gathered pace. The Slovakian won four games on the trot as Raducanu's winners dried up but the Briton then recovered and served to love to seal the opening set, flashing a sheepish smile at her team as she walked back to her seat. Raducanu took confidence from her first serve and she started the second set as she did the first, racing into a 4-0 lead after she quickly consolidated a double break when Sramkova made a slew of errors. Raducanu then won the contest by converting a sixth break point, with victory confirming the former U.S. Open champion's status as the British number one again, leapfrogging her doubles partner Boulter. "I don't think it was my cleanest performance, but I'm really happy to have pushed through in some tight moments that decided the first set," Raducanu said. "It was really helpful... to have a big roar of support to get me through that last service game. So I appreciate that." Fourth seed Elena Rybakina showcased her power as she fired nine aces to beat Watson 6-4 6-2 after the Briton failed to capitalise on seven break points. Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina also became the first female player to fire 200 aces this year. "It was a tough match, she played really well. I am pretty happy with my game, especially in the second set," Rybakina said. "Hopefully with every match it will be better and better. I am enjoying my time here." Meanwhile, Russian fifth seed Diana Shnaider fought back from a set down to beat Boulter 2-6 6-3 6-2 to set up a quarter-final with Australian Open champion Madison Keys. "Katie is such a lovely person, I love her with all my heart. To play her and beat her in front of her home crowd, I am so sorry," Shnaider said. "I hope you don't hate me too much and come support me tomorrow!" REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Galatasaray sign Bayern Munich's Sane
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - May 3, 2025 Bayern Munich's Leroy Sane celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Annegret Hilse DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO./File Photo Galatasaray have signed Germany winger Leroy Sane, who will join the club as a free agent on a three-year deal when he leaves Bayern Munich at the end of this month, Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray said on Thursday. The 29-year-old Sane said farewell to Bayern fans in a video posted on social media on Thursday. Sane, capped 70 times for Germany, has bagged 61 goals and registered 55 assists in 220 appearances for Bayern in all competitions. He has won four Bundesliga titles, DFL-Supercups, a UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup with the German champions. Sane joined Bayern in 2020 on a five-year deal from Manchester City, where he won the Premier League title in 2018 and 2019. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Zverev overcomes Moutet to reach Stuttgart quarters
FILE PHOTO: Jun 4, 2025; Paris, FR; Alexander Zverev of Germany during his match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on day 11 at Roland Garros Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS STUTTGART, Germany - German top seed Alexander Zverev beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-6(7) on Thursday to reach the Stuttgart Open quarter-finals, staying on course in his Wimbledon tune-up after a quarter-final run at Roland Garros. Zverev has long struggled on grass. The 28-year-old has won 24 tour-level titles but none on grass and has never gone past the fourth round at Wimbledon. Zverev, a three-times Grand Slam finalist, raced through the first set, but Moutet responded well in the second, taking an early 2-1 lead. The set tightened as both players traded breaks to reach 4-4, before Zverev held his nerve in the tiebreak to close out the match. "I prefer to win 6-2 6-2, but you can never choose these kind of things but in the end I won and that's the most important thing," said Zverev, who last played at Stuttgart in 2019. "I think the first match on grass was never easy. I honestly think it was a very average match. I made it complicated, but a win is a win and I'm happy to play tomorrow again." Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime earned his first win on grass since Halle in 2022, defeating Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 6-4 to move into the quarter-finals in Stuttgart. The 24-year-old Canadian will next face German teenager Justin Engel. Wildcard Engel, who won his first tour-level grasscourt match in the previous round, stunned American seventh seed Alex Michelsen 6-4 6-4, breaking for 2-1 in both sets and holding serve throughout without facing a single break point. The 17-year-old Engel becomes the youngest Stuttgart quarter-finalist and also the youngest player to reach the quarter-finals of an ATP grasscourt event since 1985, when Boris Becker made it to the Wimbledon quarter-finals. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
