Brazil went through qualifying, having changed their coach a couple of times, and eventually collected 28 points from eighteen games—only Argentina and Ecuador had more. At the World Cup, they started with a draw against Morocco (having to come from behind), then claimed two confident victories. However, their opponents were relatively weak: Haiti and Scotland, both of whom they defeated 3-0.
Japan had no trouble in qualification. They finished first in their group ahead of time and ultimately earned 23 points from ten games. After impressing in friendly matches, they continued their strong form in the tournament’s early games—securing a draw against the Netherlands and thrashing Tunisia. Against Sweden, they settled for a 1-1 draw, which suited both sides in that context.
The South American giants average 2.4 goals scored per match, but also concede a fair amount, about 1-1. Moriyasu’s side are a bit more pragmatic: they score an average of two goals per game and concede much less, around 0.7 per match.
Previous Matches: Brazil vs Japan
Last autumn, Kubo and company claimed their first-ever win. Before that, Brazil won seven head-to-head encounters with two draws.
Ancelotti’s men are again considered favorites. However, a neutral bet on “both teams to score” (odds – 1.92) looks reasonable here.
Brazil vs Japan: Key Statistics and Trends
Brazil have won five of their last six matches
70% of Brazil’s matches end with goals from both teams and an average total of 3.5 goals per match
Japan have drawn two of their last three games
40% of Japan’s matches end with goals from both teams and an average total of 2.7 goals per match
Brazil vs Japan: Probable Starting Lineups
Brazil are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation (possible lineup): Alisson – Douglas Santos, Gabriel Magalhães, Marquinhos, Danilo – Lucas Paquetá, Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães – Vinícius Júnior, Matheus Cunha, Ryan Rocha. Neymar finally returned to the pitch, but Raphinha is injured.
Japan are expected to use a 3-4-2-1 formation (possible lineup): Suzuki – Ito, Itakura, Seko – Kamada, Tanaka, Nakamura, Sugawara – Maeda, Doan – Ueda.
