Brazil survives the madness

Brazil remains undefeated, as well as classified, and Ecuador is closer to Qatar after a vibrant duel in Quito in which absolutely everything happened. The madness invaded a first half full of scares. It was a succession of earthquakes. The first was Casemiro, who took advantage of a triple defensive error by Ecuador to score from a corner. The madridista showed pride to get ahead of everyone, something usual when he steps into the area.

That led to a cataract of unparalleled events, a chronicle of events more than a football match. The show began with a red card to Ecuadorian goalkeeper Domínguez for a criminal tackle on Cunha. The referee Roldán did not see him at the outset, but the VAR took him out of the blush immediately because the studs of the boot hit the neck of the athletic striker squarely.

With one more on the field and the advantage on the scoreboard, it seemed that Brazil would live with a comfort that did not turn out to be such. The complications started with the second yellow to Emerson, that side that with mistakes like this ruins his good qualities. The storm continued with the red to Alisson, a move apparently similar to that of Domínguez but with less virulence and intention. The VAR corrected Roldán again, this time to remove the red and leave it yellow.

Barely 25 minutes had passed and it was difficult to enumerate the number of incidents in a match in which Ecuador was playing for the World Cup and Brazil for the honor. The visiting coach put the pieces back together by bringing in Alves and removing Coutinho.

Tie

The outcome promised strong emotions, as it was. Roldán awarded a penalty from Raphinha to Estupiñán, but the VAR corrected him again. Surely the two referees did not have dinner together last night. By the time the match languished, without Vinicius, Ecuador was the only one that was looking hard for the opposing goal thanks to a huge Gonzalo Plata.

The award came very late, from a corner. Torres finished off with a header and unleashed madness in Quito, which was closer to Qatar thanks to the draw against the leader. But there was still controversy. In minute 93 Roldán awarded another penalty, Alisson was sent off again and the VAR, for the fourth time, rectified him again. A madness in which the best news for Madrid is that there were no injuries and that Militao saw the yellow card with which he completes his cycle and is released from the next game. Absolute chaos. A nonsense.