Brazil vs. Japan: Live Score, Highlights, Recap

Confederations Cup: Brazil 3-0 Japan

 

15 June 2013

Estadio Nacional, Brasilia

Referee: Petro Proenca (Portugal)

Scoring

3' Neymar; 48' Paulinho; 90+3' Jo

Lineups

Brazil XI: J.Cesar; D.Alves, T.Silva, D.Luiz, Marcelo; Paulinho, L.Gustavo; Oscar, Neymar, Hulk; Fred

Japan XI: Kawashima; Uchida, Konno, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Hasebe, Endo; Honda, Kiyotake, Kagawa; Okazaki

Recap

Brazil kicked off the 2013 Confederations Cup in style, Saturday, dispatching Asian champions Japan 3-0 at Brasilia’s Estadio Nacional.

It took only three minutes for Neymar to open the scoring—his emphatic finish from just outside the 18-yard box leaving Japan goalkeeper Kawashima no chance after Fred had chested the ball to ground following Marcelo’s cross.

Japan managed to settle quickly after the goal, but despite opportunities a handful of opportunities—many involving Honda—could not restore level terms before the interval.

They’d pay for it just after the restart when Paulinho doubled Brazil’s advantage.

Once again only three minutes had elapsed since kickoff when the Corinthians man smashed the ball into the back of the net after controlling Dani Alves’ well-placed cross. And Neymar, who had cut inside and laid off the ball for his future Barcelona teammate was involved again as well.

Japan were never going to recover after going 2-0 down, and despite some good pressure on the Brazilian ball-carriers lacked the sort of cutting edge that might have made the match more competitive.

In the third minute of added time substitute striker Jo rounded out the scoring when, having been played into excellent space by Oscar’s exquisite pass, he slipped the ball under Kawashima in the final act of the game.

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