Brazil’s strength leaves Ancelotti in ‘honey trouble’

Brazil thrashed Panama 6-2 in a friendly at the Maracana yesterday. The big win has given coach Carlo Ancelotti both joy and a worry. The master tactician himself admitted that the way his team’s players have played has made it more difficult for him to decide who to keep and who to drop for the first match of the World Cup.

Vinicius Junior was the star of the match, scoring a goal and setting up another for his teammate. However, Ancelotti was particularly impressed by the performances of the players who came on as substitutes in the second half. According to him, those who came on in the second half made the fight for a place in the starting XI even tougher.

Ancelotti said after the match, “The second half of the game increased my doubts. But it’s a good sign, having such sweet problems is good for the team.”

Brazil dominated the match from the start. Vinicius scored just two minutes into the game, capitalizing on a mistake by the opposing defenders. In the middle, a free kick by Michael Murillo deflected off a Brazilian player and into the net, giving Panama an equalizer. However, just before the end of the first half, Casemiro headed in a beautiful cross from Vinicius to give the Seleção the lead again.

After the break, Ancelotti made several changes to the team at once. He replaced all the players on the field except for defender Leo Pereira. The replacement footballers showed the coach’s trust in this. Ryan, Lucas Paqueta, Igor Thiago and Danilo all scored one goal. And that’s how the once difficult match finally turned into an easy victory for Brazil.

“It was a very important match for the team. Those who came on later showed their mettle and proved that they are worthy of being in the starting XI,” Ancelotti said. The coach’s words clearly indicate that several footballers are vying for a place in the starting XI for Brazil’s opening match of their World Cup campaign against Morocco.

Despite conceding six goals, the Italian coach still sees some weaknesses in the team. He said the plan to play high-pressing in the first half did not fully work.

“We wanted to press them in the first half. To be honest, when the pressing doesn’t work well, you have to try to take the ball away more quickly,” he said.

He also felt that there were some shortcomings in the team’s players’ understanding of each other and maintaining distance on the field. Urging the defense to be more organized, the coach said that if you play a little lower to handle the defense sometimes, you can more easily defeat the opponent in counterattacks.

Ancelotti has not yet finalized his starting XI for the World Cup. He cited the absence of several key players in the team. Neymar is recovering from a calf injury. And Marquinhos, Gabriel Magahayes and Gabriel Martinelli were rested after playing in the Champions League final. Ancelotti said, “My team is not 100% complete yet, because several players have not yet joined the team.”

Brazil have less than two weeks before they face Morocco. Ancelotti believes the coming days will be crucial for the players’ fitness tests and final selection. But before leaving, he added confidently, “The only problem is choosing the best XI for the first match. But one thing is for sure, our team is very strong.”