Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Brasilia: Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni conceded that his players let the spectacle of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup opener against Brazil affect them as the AFC Asian Cup champions crashed to a 3-0 defeat.
Brazil went ahead with just three minutes at the Estadio Nacional played through a stunning strike from Neymar (Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior) and after Paulinho (José Paulo Bezerra Maciel Júnior) doubled the four-time champions’ lead three minutes after the restart Jo (João Alves de Assis Silva) completed Brazil’s comfortable win in second-half stoppage time with his first international goal for the Seleção.
“The excitement of the opening game against such a strong side and with such a big reputation as Brazil got to us,” fifa.com quoted Zaccheroni (pictured) as saying.
“They made the most of being at home. We didn’t perform as well as we needed to.”
Meanwhile Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari – who is no stranger to Asian football having coached the Kuwait national team as well as club sides in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan and Uzbekistan – was pleased with the way his team is coming together and was particularly pleased with the performance of opening scorer Neymar.
“Today’s game showed that the team’s coming together slowly but surely.
“Getting an early goal helped us, but my feeling is that we’re sorting out some very important details. I’m sure we’re only going to improve. Neymar? Well, like I’ve said before, he’s a fantastic player. He might be off form now and then, but there’s no question he’s a star.
“He’s always going to make the difference. What matters to me, though, is the team. I liked our commitment, vitality and our strength as a unit on the pitch.”
Photo: AFP