Brazil came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in their Round of 32 clash, progressing to the next round where they will face either Norway or Ivory Coast.
Japan were the team who got off to a better start, with Kaishu Sano scoring in the 29th minute to make it 1-0.
Heading in at the break 1-0 down, Carlo Ancelotti had his work cut out, making a few tactical changes in an attempt to swing the game in their favour.
Brazil came out the blocks quickly in the second half, getting their equaliser through Casemiro after just 56 minutes, nodding it home at the back post.
But it was Gabriel Martinelli coming from the bench who was their saviour, scoring a late winner in the 95th minute to emphatically knock Japan out of the competition.
In this article, we’ll cover
Japan’s 5-4-1 defensive shape
Japan are known for being well drilled out of possession, setting up in their 3-4-2-1 shape and dropping into a 5-2-3 off ball shape.
However, with Brazil controlling plenty of the ball in the earlier stages, Japan would often collapse fairly quickly into a 5-4-1 shape.
This allowed them to block central access for Brazil, with good positioning for the Japan wide men to double up in wide areas when needed.
Brazil have been looking to build through the middle in recent weeks, utilising Vinicius Junior as an inside forward, pinning the opposition backline and making runs in behind to finish off moves.
Japan’s 5-4-1 shape did well to neutralise that threat, with Takehiro Tomiyasu able to step in with Vinicius Junior, while Ritsu Doan provided extra support to block the channel.
While this shape did give Japan a good foundation defensively, it was actually their slightly more aggressive 5-2-3 midblock that helped them find the opener.
Coming out from the first hydration break, it was one of the only occasions Japan were set in their 5-2-3 further forwards in the game.
After some loose possession and turnovers from both sides in the middle third during this passage of play, the space opened up after Brazil failed to counter.
Sano picking up the ball, had all three attackers ahead of him in central areas, who made their runs and opened the space for him to carry and get his shot away, scoring to make it 1-0.
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Brazil’s halftime tweaks
Going in at halftime, Brazil had only managed to get eight shots off, creating zero big chances and only generating 0.35 expected goals in the half.
Ancelotti identified where the space was for Brazil against this Japan defensive scheme, making a few key tweaks going into the second half.
Instead of having Vinicius Junior drift inside, he was taking up positions on the touchline more often, while Rayan did the same on the opposite side, looking to stretch the Japan defensive line.
Brazil’s full-backs would then stay in wider areas too, providing double width and stretching the Japan midfield line.
This allowed both of Brazil’s number eights to push higher alongside Endrick who came on at halftime, getting more bodies into the box.
By stretching the block and looking to exploit wide isolations using double width in the second half, Brazil began to deliver more crosses into the box to put Japan under pressure.
In the first half, Brazil only managed 12 crosses, but in the second half, Ancelotti’s side put 28 crosses into the box, with this method leading to the first goal.
By putting more crosses into the box, Brazil were able to continuously sink Japan’s defensive line deeper, allowing them to sustain pressure.
After a number of crosses in a row, Vinicius Junior picked up the ball from a cleared cross, setting it back for Gabriel who found Casemiro at the back post for the equaliser.
Martinelli and Guimaraes save the day
Martinelli came on to replace Matheus Cunha in the 66th minute, playing as a left-sided number eight in the half space.
Initially, the intention felt like it was to have Martinelli helping Vinicius Junior with wide attacks, to find more crossing scenarios.
But it was actually Martinelli who found himself in the box to finish off a chance in the dying embers of the game, sending Brazil to the next round of the competition.
After losing the ball at the top of the box, Rayan was quick to help Endrick win it back, allowing Brazil to access the space between Japan’s defensive and midfield lines.
Bruno Guimaraes picked it up on the edge of the box, originally looking like he was shaping up to shoot.
But it was a moment of patience for the Brazilian midfielder which allowed him to pick out Martinelli between the wide centre-back and wingback.
Martinelli took it nicely on his back foot, setting himself to hit it quickly with his second touch, opening his body and finding the bottom right corner, which went in off the post after Zion Suzuki got a touch which wasn’t enough to keep it out.
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