WCQ Match Report : Brazil 5 - 0 Ecuador

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Brazil needed to produce some party tricks to win the approval of the astonishingly fickle Maracana crowd on their return to the famous stadium after a seven-year absence and they delivered.

Dunga's team left the pitch at the famous arena to delirious applause after four goals in a 12-minute spell late in the game gave them a flattering 5-0 win over Ecuador in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier.

The third goal, which came when Kaka curled a 30-metre shot into the top right-hand corner, and the fourth, set up by Robinho with his trademark stepovers followed by a disconcerting dribble, had the 70,000 crowd in raptures.

Yet only minutes early, the supporters had been jeering their own team because they were only 1-0 ahead against a side who reached the last 16 at the 2006 World Cup.

Amid the jubilation which followed the result, it was quickly forgotten why Brazil had spent so long away from the hallowed arena in the first place.

During the qualifying competition for the 2002 World Cup, Brazil had planned to share their home games between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

But the team were given such as hostile reception that the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) asked for, and was given, permission to switch venues and play their remaining games in other parts of the country.

LOVE BOOED

This, combined with the neglected state of the Maracana, prevented Brazil from returning until Wednesday.

Although the stadium has been refurbished since Brazil's last visit, the crowd remained as fickle as ever and were booing their side even before kick off.

When the teams were announced, the crowd jeered the name of Brazil striker Vagner Love, who has inherited the number nine shirt from Ronaldo but has failed to reach the heights scaled by his predecessor.

There were more whistles as early as the 15th minute with Brazil patiently playing the ball around in midfield looking for an opening.

Vagner Love's 19th minute goal quietened the booing but Brazil's failure to add a quick second, or produce any stepovers, bicycle kicks or other trickery, had the crowd restless again.

Incredibly, Vagner Love was jeered off the field when he was substituted in the second half and the whistling and cat-calling grew louder as Ecuador pressed for an equaliser.

But the discontent suddenly turned to ecstasy with Brazil's late surge which began with Ronaldinho diverting Kaka's shot into the net in the 73rd minute.

Kaka then added two, the first his 30-metre special and the second courtesy of an astonishing blunder by Ecuador goalkeeper Daniel Viteri, while Elano was on hand to turn Robinho's dribble into a goal.

Brazil coach Dunga glossed over the attitude of the fans.

"The crowd turned up and behaved well," he said.

Typically, he also refused to get carried out with the events of the final 20 minutes.

"We played in a solid, compact manner, we didn't gave space to Ecuador and, as a natural result of this, the spaces began opening up," he added.