Brazil will conclude their October tour of East Asia on Tuesday with a friendly against Japan in Tokyo.
The Seleção enter the match with renewed confidence following a dominant 5-0 victory over South Korea, arguably the most impressive performance of Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure. In that match, Chelsea’s Estêvão and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo each scored twice, while Vinícius Júnior added a fifth to continue his own run of good form. The result was a significant boost for Ancelotti’s side after a lackluster World Cup qualifying campaign that saw them finish fifth and end with a 1-0 loss to Bolivia.
Japan, one of the first nations to secure its place at the next World Cup after a commanding performance in the AFC qualifiers, will be aiming for its first-ever victory against Brazil. Manager Hajime Moriyasu’s team is coming off a 2-2 draw with Paraguay in their first friendly of the international break.
The hosts will be without captain Wataru Endō, who has withdrawn from the squad due to an unspecified injury and will return to Liverpool. Leeds United’s Ao Tanaka is expected to start in midfield, with Moriyasu likely to make few changes to the team that faced Paraguay. The attack will feature Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ritsu Doan and Takumi Minamino supporting striker Kōki Ogawa. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma was not called up for the squad.
Japan Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1): Z. Suzuki; Seko, Watanabe, J. Suzuki; Ito, Sano, Tanaka, Nakamura; Doan, Minamino; Ogawa.
With only four more fixtures scheduled before the World Cup, Ancelotti is expected to prioritize continuity by naming a team similar to the one that excelled against South Korea. Real Madrid forwards Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior should retain their places, though the potential inclusion of Richarlison could see Matheus Cunha play in the No. 10 role and push Rodrygo into a wider position. Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli will also be hopeful for minutes after a strong start to his club season.
Brazil Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bento; Vitinho, Militão, Gabriel, Santos; Guimarães, Casemiro; Rodrygo, Cunha, Vinícius; Richarlison.
While Japan presents a step up in quality, they will need to be much improved after narrowly avoiding defeat to Paraguay. Ancelotti, meanwhile, will hope the victory in Seoul serves as a launchpad for his reign, having described it as “a foundation.” If Brazil can play with the same swagger and freedom displayed last week, they are well-positioned to secure a comfortable win.
Prediction: Japan 1–3 Brazil
