SINGAPORE –
Japan’s nationwide soccer workforce defeated five-time World Cup champions Brazil 3-2 in a world pleasant in Singapore on November 14th, with Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scoring a dramatic late winner to safe Japan’s second-ever victory over the South American powerhouse.
The match was a rematch of the 2 groups’ assembly on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, collectively hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the place Japan suffered a 2-1 defeat in June.
Japan took the lead by way of targets from Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad and Keito Nakamura of Lyon, however Brazil fought again to degree the rating at 2-2. With the match approaching its conclusion, Sakamoto, who performs for Coventry City in England, struck the decisive purpose to seal a memorable victory.
The outcome marked Japan’s first win over Brazil since a world pleasant in Tokyo in October 2025, when Japan recorded its historic first victory in opposition to the five-time world champions.
Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu addressed reporters at a post-match press convention following the victory, whereas Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti additionally spoke to the media, acknowledging the menace posed by Japan’s attacking play.
“Japan is a dangerous team on the counterattack,” Ancelotti mentioned, highlighting the pace and effectiveness of the Japanese workforce’s transitions from protection to assault.
The victory offered Japan with one other important outcome in opposition to certainly one of worldwide soccer’s most profitable nations because the workforce continued its preparations throughout its abroad tour.
Japan will subsequent face Paraguay in one other worldwide pleasant in Singapore on November seventeenth, a match that may mark the workforce’s ultimate look below Moriyasu.
The squad returned to coaching on November fifteenth, with gamers who had remained on the bench or performed restricted minutes in opposition to Brazil participating in an brisk session forward of the Paraguay encounter.
Sakamoto, who scored the successful purpose in opposition to Brazil, joined Takumi Minamino of Monaco and different gamers in engaged on constructing assaults from the again, specializing in passing mixtures and motion earlier than participating in small-sided video games.
Meanwhile, Kubo and different gamers who began in opposition to Brazil got a lighter restoration session consisting primarily of strolling, permitting them to recuperate from the demanding encounter.
The November seventeenth match in opposition to Paraguay will carry Japan’s Singapore tour to an in depth and function Moriyasu’s ultimate match in cost, following a interval that included the workforce’s historic second victory over Brazil.
Source: Kyodo