Brazil continued their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Egypt in an international friendly at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, with young forward Endrick once again proving his knack for making an impact when it matters most.
The Real Madrid youngster came off the bench in the second half and wasted little time making his presence felt. Just six minutes after the restart, Endrick pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area and calmly found the back of the net, scoring what turned out to be the match-winning goal for the Seleção.
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti handed Vinícius Júnior a place in the starting lineup, and the winger featured throughout the first half. The Brazilian star looked lively and nearly restored his side’s advantage before the break when he found himself one-on-one with the Egyptian goalkeeper, but he was unable to convert the opportunity.
Brazil made a dream start to the contest, taking the lead in the sixth minute through Bruno Guimarães. The midfielder finished off a well-worked move to put the South Americans ahead early, but Egypt responded quickly. Zico capitalized on a defensive lapse to level the score and keep the North Africans firmly in the game.
With the teams locked at 1-1 heading into halftime, Ancelotti turned to his bench for inspiration. The decision paid off almost immediately as Endrick’s sharp instincts inside the box helped Brazil regain the lead shortly after the restart.
Despite Egypt’s efforts to find another equalizer, Brazil remained composed and managed the game well in the closing stages to secure the victory.
The win offers another positive step for Ancelotti’s side as they continue building momentum ahead of the World Cup, while Endrick’s decisive contribution further strengthens his case for a prominent role in Brazil’s tournament plans.
