Coach Carlo Ancelotti described the 6-2 rout of Panama as a “tremendous injection of confidence” on the eve of the trip to the United States for the World Cup. More than 72,000 people filled the Maracanã on a night that marked the final meeting between the Brazilian fans and the national team, which departs this Monday (1st) for New Jersey.
“(…) It was a beautiful night, we have to thank the fans, the atmosphere they created, it was a tremendous injection of confidence. I know perfectly well that we started well, with a good attitude and commitment. The work started well in these days, but the work is not only commitment and attitude, it is about being strong, resilient, every day, whether in good or bad moments, in order to finish well,” he said at a press conference.
Carlo Ancelotti during the 6-2 rout of Panama at the MaracanãCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF
The friendly went into halftime with Brazil leading 2-1, thanks to goals from Vinicius Jr. and Casemiro. In the second half, with virtually the entire team changed — only Léo Pereira stayed on the field for the full 90 minutes — the Seleção took off and made it 6-2.
For Ancelotti, the match showed the competitiveness within the squad made up of the 26 players called up for the World Cup and also the need to improve in certain moments of the game, especially in the first half.
“The performance in the second half was important for the team, for the players who came on, who showed quality, showed that they can compete with everyone on the list. But we have to keep in mind that the opponent dropped the pace, had less intensity and offered more opportunity to show quality. The first half had good things and things to improve,” he concluded.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.