Brazil's 2-1 victory over Chile, on Thursday night (10), in Santiago, brought relief at a difficult time in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, the performance on the field has not been convincing, which raises doubts about the team's situation.Facing an opponent in trouble, Brazil started the game poorly, conceding a goal in the first minute. The game is designed with difficulty in creating and organizing tactics, characteristics of the most recent team. Although he came away with victory, the performance on all four lines clearly indicated the need for an urgent change.
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Another difficult thing is the missing key. The Seleção had a serious list of cuts due to injuries before this FIFA date. Players like Alisson, Éder Militão, Bremer, Guilherme Arana and Vinícius Júnior, all previously called up, were forced to leave the team. This defeat was very heavy and Dorival Júnior had to find another way in a team that had not yet recovered its balance.
Botafogo's brand attitude and turnaround From the beginning, Brazil found itself in a tumultuous situation. In the 60th minute, Eduardo Vargas, Chilean striker and Atlético-MG player, took advantage of a gap in the Brazilian defense to open the scoring. Defender Danilo made a mistake in marking, allowing Vargas to go up and head free to beat Ederson, who was unable to defend himself from the goal. This early attack exposed the defensive weaknesses that had been evident in the previous game.
Brazil's response took a while, but it came in the first half. Due to a lack of creativity, the team only started to threaten in the 27th minute, when Abner's cross was almost met by Chilean defender Maripán. It was a sign that the team was waking up. Shortly afterwards, Savinho received a good pass from Danilo on the right and crossed for Igor Jesus, then a starter for the Seleção, to equalize with a header, scoring the first goal with the Canarinho shirt.
Dorival's change and defense of the goal at the end In the second half, Dorival Júnior opted for a change in the middle, placing André and Lucas Paquetá in place of Bruno Guimarães and Gerson. However, the changes did not affect the team's performance. Brazil continued to struggle to control the game and offer clear chances of victory. Possession of the ball was practically sterile, with only a few dangerous moments for Chile.
It was in stoppage time of the second half that the Seleção managed to score the winning goal. Luiz Henrique, who replaced Savinho, took advantage of the poor position of the Chilean defense and shot wide for Brazil's second goal. The change, more the result of luck than a clear game plan, guaranteed success and brought comfort to the team, which was unable to establish itself.
Weak performance boosts Dorival Despite the success, Brazil's performance has been criticized. The Seleção had less than five shots on goal throughout the game, and the Chileans, even in the qualifiers, never came under much pressure. Criticism of Brazilian football has arrived, experts point out a lack of creativity and tactical coordination. The feeling is that Brazil has been spared another backlash thanks to two seasons of individual wisdom.
Dorival Júnior, who was already under pressure after the defeat to Paraguay, was able to breathe with the results, but the team's demands continue. The coach admitted that the team is still far from its best football, admitting that changes are necessary for the next clash. Injuries to important players further complicate the situation, forcing the coach to carry out research that has not yet had the expected impact.
The next challenges in the Qualifiers The victory left Brazil in fourth place in the Qualifiers, with 13 points, still behind leader Argentina, who has 19. The next challenge will be against Peru, on Tuesday (15), at the Mané Garrincha Stadium , in Brasilia. The expectation is that the team will put in an impressive performance in front of their home fans, removing any doubts about their ability to secure passage to the World Cup. Chile is still in a difficult situation, they will face Colombia on the same day, in Barranquilla.