Brazil, the "Samba Army," defeated Croatia, the " Checkered Ones ," 3-1 in another friendly match, thanks to goals from Danilo, Igor Thiago, and Martinelli . Coach Ancelotti expressed his pleasure at the young players' seizing of opportunities and believes the team is on the right track.

Vinicius Jr. dribbled into the penalty area during first-half stoppage time and passed the ball diagonally to Danilo, who slotted it home to give Brazil a 1-0 lead.

In the 84th minute of the second half, Toni Fluke made a long pass, and Lovro Mayer, despite the defense, slid in and scored, helping Croatia equalize the score at 1-1.

In the 86th minute, Endric was brought down by an opposing player while attempting a breakthrough, resulting in a penalty for Brazil. Igor Thiago then converted the penalty, putting Brazil ahead 2-1 against Croatia. In stoppage time of the second half, Endric passed the ball diagonally to Martinelli, who received it and fired a low shot into the net from inside the penalty area, extending Brazil's lead to 3-1.

Brazil ultimately defeated Croatia 3-1 in this friendly match. During the international break in June, Brazil will face Panama and Egypt before embarking on their journey to the 2026 World Cup finals.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said, "What pleases me most is that the newcomers have seized their opportunities well. But this also presents me with a dilemma, as it makes the final selection of the squad even more difficult."

“Igor Thiago and Leo Pereira both performed well, Danilo also did a good job, Endric was outstanding, and everyone did their job very well.”

Ancelotti also stated, "This is a positive sign for the team. We will continue to monitor the situation in the European leagues and the Brazilian Serie A. The final roster will be announced in May. We have a very clear idea of what we should do for the World Cup, and I believe we are on the right track."

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