Promising Brazil thrash Japan 3-0 to kickstart Confederations Cup with a bang

Brazil were really in amazing form as they easily defeated Japan 3-0 in the opening match of the Confederations Cup, a two week tournament featuring the leading sides of each of FIFA’s different continental federations. Brazil started of proceedings with an absolute belter from Neymar, the new Barcelona acquisition, inside the first 5 minutes. Japan hung on in the first half and were perhaps fortunate to go into the break just a goal down, but a goal early in the second half from Paulinho calmed nerves around Estadio Nacional de Brasilia before a late goal from Jo sealed the match for the Selecao.

Brazil was rock-solid at the back and just mouth watering in attack. They have shown to the whole world that they are going to serious contenders for the next year’s World Cup and for their third successive Confederations Cup.

Neymar’s performance was enough to quieten his critics for a while as he broke his 9 match scoring duck with a gorgeous strike from the edge of the box in the third minute after being perfectly teed up by Fred. Everyone was looking to see how Brazil’s big stars would perform and they were not disappointed as players like Marcelo, Neymar, Oscar, Hulk and Dani Alves did have good games, a welcome relief for Scolari.

Japan meanwhile were weak at the back and in forward Shinji Okazaki had an out of form striker who had scored just the 1 goal for Stuttgart last season. Keisuke Honda was at his industrious best, and was the only Japanese player who really threatened the Selecao.

Both Dani Alves and Hulk were combining well down the right and were causing a headache to the Samurai Blue throughout the match. They created a lot of chances but the killer ball into the box was largely lacking. Brazil did get it right early in the second half when Dani Alves delivered a low cross for Paulinho, who scored courtesy a low volley.

Okazaki should have pulled one back for Japan in the 50th minute but his effort drifted wide.

In the closing stages of the match an excellent counter attack from Brazil led by Oscar saw the Selecao add a third to the scoreline as the young Chelsea star’s amazing through ball for Jo was well finished by the former Manchester City man past Japanese keeper Ejji Kawashima.

Teams

Brazil- Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo, Oscar, Luis Gustavo Dias, Paulinho, Fred (81 Jo), Neymar (74 Lucas), Hulk (75 Hernanes).

Substitutions- Lucas, Hernanaes, Jo, Jefferson, Dante

Japan- Ejji Kawashima, Yuto Nagatoma, Atsuto Uchida, Yasuyuki Konno, Maya Yoshida, Keisuke Honda, Yasuhito Endo, Hiroshi Kiyotake, Shinji Okazaki, Makoto Hasebe, Shinji Kagawa

Substitutions- Hajime Hosogai, Takashi Inui, Ryoichi Maeda, Kengo Nakamura, Shusaku Nishikawa

Final Score: Brazil 3-0 Japan (3` Neymar, 48` Paulinho, 90+3` Jo)