Takefusa Kubo struck early on Saturday as Japan overcame a second-half surge from Brazil to secure a 3-2 victory in a dramatic FIFA international friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore.
The fixture, part of the Mizuho Blue Challenge, saw Hajime Moriyasu’s side race into a two-goal lead within the opening twenty minutes before weathering sustained pressure from a Selecao side missing several core players, CNN Indonesia reported.
Brazil initially threatened when an early left-footed shot from Estevao flashed wide of Zion Suzuki’s goal in the sixth minute. Yet Japan absorbed the pressure and broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Ritsu Doan slipped a pass to Kubo, who beat the offside trap and slotted a low shot past goalkeeper Pedro Morisco at the near post, according to ANTARA News Banten.
Japan doubled their advantage just four minutes later. Shuto Nakano delivered a probing cross from the right flank, allowing Keito Nakamura to meet the ball and drive it past Morisco to make it 2-0.
Trailing by two goals, Carlo Ancelotti’s team clawed their way back into the contest before halftime. Vinicius Junior ignited the response in the 33rd minute, collecting a pass from Bruno Guimaraes near the edge of the penalty area and launching a fierce strike that evaded Suzuki’s dive.
Tensions flared late in the first half when referee Jansen Foo turned down penalty appeals from the Brazil bench. Ancelotti voiced furious objections after Raphinha went down under a challenge inside the box, though play continued and the score remained 2-1 at the interval.
The South American giants intensified their attacks after the restart. Vinicius leveled the score in the 75th minute with a spectacular effort, curling a long-range shot that struck the left post before bouncing into the net.
Just as Brazil appeared to seize the momentum, Japan struck the decisive blow in stoppage time. Substitute Tatsuhiro Sakamoto reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area, poking home a rebound in the 90+1st minute to restore the Asian side’s lead.
The goal triggered furious protests from the Brazilian camp, who argued that Takumi Minamino had fouled Joao Gomes during the buildup. Referee Foo dismissed the appeals and upheld the goal after a video assistant referee review.
The dissent proved costly for the visitors. Both coach Ancelotti and captain Raphinha received straight red cards for their prolonged protests against the officiating crew, forcing Brazil to finish the match with nine men on the touchline and pitch.
“First of all, I would like to use this opportunity to apologise for my behaviour so that I was sent off from the pitch,” Raphinha said.
“Sometimes it is hard to stay calm, especially after what I saw the referee make many mistakes. I tried to talk to him several times, and I felt like not wanting to discuss. I believe that he made many mistakes throughout the match, and that is unacceptable,” Raphinha told The Athletic.
The final whistle confirmed a 3-2 victory for Japan, capping an eventful November international window in Singapore.
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