Brazil vs. Ecuador: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Dunga takes his Brazil squad to face Ecuador at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on Tuesday in the hopes of maintaining a 100 percent start in his second spell at the national team's helm.
Both teams come into the fixture on the back of winning results, the Selecao having beaten Colombia 1-0 on Friday evening, while Ecuador dished out a 4-0 thumping of Bolivia on Saturday.
A South American spectacle is ensured north of the border and we provide all the essential viewing details for the matchup along with team news and players to keep an eye on.
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Date: Tuesday, September 9
Time: 2 a.m. BST (Sept. 10)/9 p.m. ET
Live Stream: beIN Sports PLAY (US, subscription required)
TV Info: beIN Sports 4 (US)
Maicon Sent Home From Selecao
It came to light early this week that Maicon would no longer play a part in Dunga's remodelling of Brazil—or at least not for the time being—following his dismissal for a "serious breach of discipline."
Goal.com quoted Brazil general coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi as saying of the incident:
"Today he has been removed from the squad. I want to thank him for the services provided to the Selecao. It was an internal problem. I will not answer questions about it and would kindly ask that the players are not asked about it."
Rumours had emerged from a South American parody website that the axing was due to an unsavoury incident involving Maicon and a team-mate, the details of which we won't delve into.
However, Who Ate All The Pies and 101GreatGoals each confirmed that speculation to be false:
With Maicon out of the frame, however, Monaco defender Fabinho has been called up from the under-21 ranks to fill his countryman's place, per Reuters (h/t Eurosport), with the youngster clearly delighted to receive the chance to make his debut:
"It took me by surprise, it's incredible, my first call up for the full national team. I was playing video games with the other lads and when they told me, no one could believe it."
The reasons behind Dunga's decision to get rid of Maicon remain unclear.
Key Battle
Marquinhos vs. Enner Valencia
As is mentioned in Eurosport's report, David Luiz's absence is another defensive concern for Dunga. The centre-back is set to miss out through a knee injury and Marquinhos will likely to be drafted in as replacement.
The Paris Saint-Germain youngster came on for Luiz after his club team-mate went down injured on Saturday, and South American journalist Juan Arango says either he or Gil will fill in, per Globo Esporte:
Either player has a difficult task ahead in restraining Ecuadorian live wire Enner Valencia, the recipient of a recent £12 million move to West Ham and very much his side's in-form attacking specimen.
Speed will be the main factor of intrigue for this bout, as Valencia deals well in tight spaces but even more so when he's permitted room to hound down a ball without the fuss of a marker clinging on.
After the World Cup humiliations at the hands of Germany and the Netherlands, defence will be one area Brazil hope to solidify fully under Dunga, and it's individuals such as Ecuador's Valencia who will look to fight that cause.
