Brazil vs. Ecuador: 2016 Copa America Date, Time, TV Schedule and Live Stream

Christopher SimpsonJun 3, 2016

Brazil take on Ecuador in their first game of the 2016 Copa America on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they will look to get their campaign off to a winning start.

The two sides comprise Group B along with Haiti and Peru. While the pair will likely be the two to reach the knockout stages regardless of the result, Saturday's match could go a long way in determining the tie they each get in the quarter-finals.

Here is the schedule and viewing information for the game, and read on for a full preview:

Preview

The two sides come into the game having played just one warm-up match apiece, with Brazil beating Panama 2-0 and Ecuador slipping to a 1-0 defeat to the USA.

The Selecao have not had an ideal run-up to the competition after a raft of injuries forced Dunga to make a number of changes, per football writer Rupert Fryer:

Per ESPN FC, Luiz Gustavo's withdrawal from the squad on Thursday due to personal reasons puts the number at six, with Gremio's Wallace coming in to replace him.

However, Fryer believes Brazil shouldn't be too badly affected:

Indeed, there's plenty of talent still in the side—the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Willian and Jonas can provide a spark in the final third, while a potential back four of Marquinhos, Miranda, Dani Alves and Filipe Luis is an imposing one indeed.

Selecao Brasiliera praised Coutinho for his contribution in the win over Panama:

The Liverpool playmaker will likely be afforded more opportunities for Brazil with Douglas Costa out, and his ability to create moments of magic out of nothing will come in handy if Dunga's side are to progress far in the tournament.

Thanks to the likes of Antonio Valencia, Jefferson Montero and Enner Valencia, Ecuador have the ability to hurt teams, and Brazil—even with their impressive back four and Real Madrid enforcer Casemiro potentially playing in front of them—will have to be wary of their counter-attacking threat.

Brazil have disappointed in recent major tournaments, and without their talisman Neymar, they face an even more difficult task as they look to improve on their poor showings of late.

They have the opportunity to lay down a marker for the rest of the tournament, but it wouldn't be surprising if they find themselves frustrated by a team enjoying a fine qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup.