Brazil came from behind to book their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Japan in Houston.

The Samurai Blue stunned the five-time world champions by taking an early lead, but gradually retreated deeper as Brazil took control after the break.

Sustained pressure eventually told as the Seleção completed the turnaround to keep their hopes of a sixth World Cup title alive.

In these Scout Notes, we look back on the game, with the focus predominantly on Brazilian players, as the eliminated Japan are a Fantasy irrelevance now.

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BRAZIL 2-1 JAPAN

• Goals: Casemiro, Martinelli | Sano
• Assists: Gabriel, Guimarães
• Top point scorers: Martinelli (9), Casemiro (9), Sano (9), Guimarães (7)

TEAM STATS

PLAYER STATS

SCOUT NOTES

• When the starting XIs were announced, Brazil named the same side that comfortably beat Scotland 3-0 in Round 3. Japan, meanwhile, made several changes. They replaced two of their three centre-backs from the draw with Sweden. Junya Ito returned in attack, while Ritsu Doan came back at wing-back.
• Brazil dominated the match statistically. Carlo Ancelotti’s side controlled 69% of the possession, generated 2.07 xG (expected goals) to Japan’s 0.33, created five more big chances and registered almost four times as many attempts on goal. Japan barely threatened throughout and failed to create a single big chance.
• The first half told a different story. Both sides produced fairly similar numbers, and Brazil struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities. Japan took full advantage. Kaishu Sano carried the ball from the centre circle before unleashing a superb right-footed strike from distance to give his side the lead.
• Brazil responded strongly after the break. Casemiro ($6.3m) equalised in the 56th minute. Gabriel Magalhães ($5.5m), who is still searching for his first World Cup goal despite his domestic threat for Arsenal, collected the ball deep inside the Japan half before delivering an excellent cross into the box. Casemiro timed his run perfectly and powered a header into the roof of the net.
• Casemiro remained Brazil’s biggest attacking threat throughout the second half. Just minutes before scoring, he saw another header cleared off the line by the Japan defence. He did suffer an apparent issue late in the match, though, and Ancelotti replaced him before full-time. The Brazil manager did not address the injury in his post-match press conference. Casemiro, however, was asked directly about leaving the pitch in discomfort during his post-match interview and said:

“I’m fine. I just had a little pain in my adductor. I think I had a bit of cramp in the adductor, but it’s nothing serious.”

• Another Brazil player who impressed was Bruno Guimarães ($6.8m). Brazil struggled for rhythm in the first half, but the Newcastle midfielder kept driving his side forward. He threatened early with two shots inside the box, although both were blocked. His creativity also stood out. He slipped Matheus Cunha ($7.3m) through on goal, only for the striker to see his effort saved. Guimarães then showed his aerial threat, forcing a point-blank save with a close-range header after Danilo’s ($4.3m) cross.
• Guimarães eventually got the reward his performance deserved. Deep into stoppage time, he picked out Gabriel Martinelli ($6.5m) inside the box, and the substitute kept his composure to fire home the winning goal. Guimarães finished with a seven-point Fantasy haul, although his display arguably deserved even more. He has now averaged around eight Fantasy points per game during the tournament.
• Outside of those two, Brazil’s other key attackers struggled to influence the game consistently. Cunha and Rayan ($5.6m) showed flashes but remained quiet for long periods. Vinícius Júnior ($10.0m) played his part in the equaliser by setting up the assist. He also came within inches of scoring one of the goals of the tournament after a brilliant solo run from the left. The Japan goalkeeper somehow turned his effort onto the post with a world-class save. Outside of those moments, though, Vinícius Júnior found it difficult to stamp his authority on the match.
• After the game, Ancelotti explained how the introduction of Martinelli gave Vinícius Júnior more freedom and said:

“…Martinelli’s positioning also allowed Vini a bit more space because he is very dangerous.”

• Martinelli’s impact raises an interesting question. After scoring the winner and helping create more space for Vinícius Júnior, could the Arsenal winger have played his way into the starting XI for the next round?
• Another player worth monitoring is Lucas Paquetá ($6.5m). The midfielder struggled to influence the game and made way at half-time. As he left the pitch, he appeared to be feeling the back of his thigh. Asked after the match whether he was OK, Paquetá replied:

“Fine, but tomorrow I’m going to do an exam and find out.”

• Overall, Brazil showed another side to their game. They didn’t need to rely solely on Vinícius Júnior ($10.0m) to get over the line, which will please Carlo Ancelotti. After a slow first half, they found a way to win. That resilience could prove invaluable as the tournament progresses.
• With a Round of 16 clash against either Norway or Ivory Coast, the likes of Júnior and Guimarães will remain among the standout Fantasy options.