Dugout Discussion
29 June 2026 180 comments
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The first of the day’s Round of 32 matches takes place in Houston, and it’s an intriguing-looking clash we’ve got in store: Brazil v Japan.

Kick-off is at 18:00 BST.

The bookies unsurprisingly make Brazil the favourites, giving them approximately a 70% chance of making it through this potentially tricky encounter.

But the Blue Samurai emerged from their group undefeated, and indeed haven’t lost a game since last September. They’ve even defeated the Selecao in that time, winning 3-2 back in October.

TEAM NEWS

The team news is straightforward for Brazil, as Carlo Ancelotti keeps the same starting XI that beat Scotland 3-0.

Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu does make alterations, however.

There are four changes from the 1-1 draw with Sweden.

Takehiro Tomiyasu ($4.9m) and Shogo Taniguchi ($3.9m) come in for Ayumu Seko ($3.8m) and Ko Itakura ($4.5m) at the rear, while Kaishu Sano ($4.9m) is preferred to Ao Tanaka ($5.0m) in central midfield.

The other tweak sees Junya Ito ($5.0m) replace Yukinari Sugawara ($4.4m), which presumably means Ritsu Doan ($5.1m) moves from right wing to right wing-back.

LINE-UPS

Brazil XI: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Douglas Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro, Paqueta; Rayan, Cunha, Vinicius Jr.

Japan XI: Zion Suzuki; Tomiyasu, Taniguchi, Hiroki Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Junya Ito, Maeda; Ueda.


180 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    3 hours, 28 mins ago

    FT - Brazil into R16…

  2. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 27 mins ago

    Japan should have been more brave.

    Played well but sunk into a hole.

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      2 hours, 29 mins ago

      Yes. Especially 2nd half

      1. Thanos
        • 4 Years
        2 hours, 26 mins ago

        Exactly. Even after Brazil scored, Japan were quite timid.

        Invited too much pressure from such a quality side.

  3. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    3 hours, 27 mins ago

    Japanese fans have a hella of a job ahead of them, clearing up after all those party hard Brazilians….

    1. PartyTime
      • 4 Years
      2 hours, 28 mins ago

      Hahahahaha

  4. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 27 mins ago

    Well done Japan! My condolences

  5. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 26 mins ago

    No 7 of japan basically gifted the win to brazil. What a terrible player with a horrible error at the most critical time.

  6. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 26 mins ago

    Damn it Musiala benched 🙁

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      2 hours, 28 mins ago

      Thats good. Hasnt been great

      1. Thanos
        • 4 Years
        2 hours, 27 mins ago

        Not good. Was my punt.

        1. PartyTime
          • 4 Years
          2 hours, 24 mins ago

          Tbh he has been poor bar the first game against Curacao. I had a bad feeling he could get benched but all prediction sites had him in the xi

          1. Thanos
            • 4 Years
            2 hours, 13 mins ago

            Tbf, he's been better than Sane who starts!

            Germany should win but not sure if that's the right tactics for them when they'll very likely face France next.

            1. PartyTime
              • 4 Years
              1 hour, 44 mins ago

              Bambi fresh for France might not be a bad tactic. He can still grab a goal tonight. I hope he does for your team. Just hard luck he didn't start.

    2. PartyTime
      • 4 Years
      2 hours, 27 mins ago

      Damnnn. I had him in the team. bullet dodged there

  7. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    3 hours, 25 mins ago

    Brazil advances as expected.

    Commiserations to Japan.

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      2 hours, 26 mins ago

      Yup. Very poor performance by japan outside the goal. No 7 gifted the win in 95th minute after all the good defending but then mostly only defending

  8. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    3 hours, 23 mins ago

    Moves armband onto Nmecha, sigh…

    1. Thanos
      • 4 Years
      2 hours, 25 mins ago

      Moves to Tah now that Musiala is benched

  9. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 19 mins ago

    Japan just cant win knockout wc games

  10. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 18 mins ago

    Vini junior you flop. Waste of $10m. Qualification bonus pts wasted there.

  11. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    3 hours, 17 mins ago

    Asian teams all knocked out now except australia who are not actually in Asia. Meanwhile 9/10 African teams made r32. Gotta reduce asian spots to 5 at most and give 3 or 4 more to europe.
    Slots should depend on performance

    1. Gommy
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 39 mins ago

      By this logic, how would those respective Continents ever regain those spots?

    2. AAAFootball
        1 hour, 38 mins ago

        Fact bro, and to think Nigeria and Cameroon could have been here with Denmark and Italy instead of teams like Jordan or Uzbekistan and Iraq.

    3. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      3 hours, 13 mins ago

      Germany XI (4-2-3-1): Neuer - Kimmich, Tah, Rüdiger, Brown - Nmecha, Pavlovic - Sané, Havertz, Wirtz - Undav.

      Paraguay XI (5-4-1): Gill - Caceres, Gomez, Alonso, Canale - Almiron, Bobadilla, Cubas, Galarza, Enciso - Avalos

    4. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 hours, 12 mins ago

      Best moment for me, was when the Japanese fan having a meltdown, was comforted by someone draping a Brazilian flag around him. Priceless 😆

    5. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      3 hours, 10 mins ago

      Who is scoring the last minute winner for Germany vs paraguay?. Undav? Woltenmade? Musiala?

      1. Travel Notes
        • 3 Years
        2 hours ago

        Paraguay own goal.

        1. AAAFootball
            1 hour, 37 mins ago

            I second this

      2. Lallana's Bananas
        • 10 Years
        3 hours, 10 mins ago

        Anyone else having trouble changing their captain from Brazil to Germany players (Brown in this case)? Button’s just appearing greyed out, can change to other players fine

        1. Thanos
          • 4 Years
          2 hours, 11 mins ago

          Was able to change mine.

          Not sure if reopening in a new window helps but worth a shot.

        2. ALIVE AND KICKING
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          2 hours, 6 mins ago

          Have you got vc on the player you want to c ?

          1. Lallana's Bananas
            • 10 Years
            2 hours, 4 mins ago

            Yes, this was the problem, thanks both!

            1. ALIVE AND KICKING
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              2 hours, 1 min ago

              No worries pal

        3. Travel Notes
          • 3 Years
          1 hour, 51 mins ago

          Brown to score?

      3. CoracAld2831
        • 5 Years
        2 hours, 35 mins ago

        Germany v Paraguay 5-0