Brazil vs Japan live: Selecao take on World Cup dark horses Samurai Blue for place in last 16

Dangerous underdogs

Japan enter the tie as clear underdogs having managed just one win in the group stage, against the tournament’s favourite punching back Tunisia.

They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast. But they have ‌qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.

The Samurai Blue followed up their 3-2 friendly win over Brazil with a 1-0 defeat of England at Wembley earlier this year, making them the World Cup’s dark horses.

Japan without star player Kudo

At 19, Brazil forward Rayan was not part of the squat that lost in Tokyo, and can perhaps be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad.

“I don’t know who their best player is,” he said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very ‌strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.”

Options Rayan could have ‌considered in his answer include Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi”, or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker who scored the winner against Brazil in October.

But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands and he has been ruled out for the Brazil clash.

A historic win for the Samurai Blue

Japan fought back from two goals down to defeat Brazil 3-2 at home in October in a friendly for a historic first victory over the South Americans.

Brazil’s 32-year-old captain Marquinhos, who was among several defenders missing from the friendly defeat in October, said they had taken lessons from that night.

“I think that really was a learning experience for us,” he told reporters ahead of the World Cup knockout tie. “I think since then, we have grown quite a bit. We have changed a lot as a squad.”

Welcome to our liveblog,

Five-time champions Brazil take on World Cup dark horses Japan on Monday for a place in the last-16, just months after their first-ever defeat against the Samurai Blue in a friendly.

Brazil’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti says the October defeat in Tokyo gave him excellent insight into what to expect in Houston, knowing that failure will send his side home early in the tournament.

“It was a good experience ‌to know that Japan are one of the best teams in the world,” he said. “We have full respect for them and will prepare for the game like it is a final, because to us ‌it is a final.”

Kick-off is at noon Houston time, 7pm Paris time, 2am Tokyo time, and 2pm in Brazil.