After having a good first half against Japan, opening 2-0 with Paulo Henrique and Martinelli, the Brazilian team took a turnaround in Tokyo, with the Asian team scoring three times in just 25 minutes in the second half.
In coach Carlo Ancelotti’s opinion, defender Fabrício Bruno’s error in the move that resulted in the first Japanese goal, six minutes into the second half, was what ended up weighing the most on the defeat in the Japanese capital.
“Until Fabrício’s mistake, the game was well controlled. I’m very clear what happened: the team fell mentally after the first mistake. That was the team’s biggest mistake. I don’t think that in the second half the team’s attitude wasn’t good. I think the mistake affected it too much”, said an angry Italian coach in an interview with journalists shortly after the match at Ajinomoto Stadium.
In the play in question, as the team played the ball, Lucas Paquetá retreated to the Cruzeiro defender at the edge of the penalty area. He ended up losing his balance when attempting a pass to the full-back and gave the ball to the foot of Monaco’s Japanese striker Minamino, who just hit it high to take it away from goalkeeper Hugo Souza.
Ancelotti also said that the defeat represents a “great lesson, because there are things we need to learn from today’s game, especially in the second half”.
According to the coach, the team played “very well” in the 5-0 defeat against Korea and also during the first half against Japan, but “very poorly” in the second half this Tuesday. “It’s a process. Better now than in the World Cup. We have to have balance”, said the coach.
He also said that individual mistakes do not compromise the players’ continuity in the group.
Fabrício Bruno ended up being the team’s negative highlight in the game. In the second Japanese goal, midfielder Nakamura received a cross inside the penalty area and shot across. The defender tried to intercept, but sent it into the back of the net.
“Individual errors do not affect the players’ presence in the team. The assessment we have to make is the reaction after the first error, which was not good. We lost a bit of balance on the field, of good attitude, of positive thinking.”
Ancelotti also ruled out reviewing the plan to continue with the tests to complete the group that will compete in the World Cup. He had already signaled that he will take advantage of friendlies in Asia, and against African teams in November, to promote the latest tests.
The intention is to have the group practically closed in the last FIFA Date before the World Cup, in March, when the team will face European teams.
In the duel against Japan, the coach made eight changes in relation to the team that beat Korea, with the lack of interaction contributing to the defeat in Tokyo.
“We will continue carrying out tests on FIFA Data in November. [A derrota] It doesn’t change our idea of what we have to do”, said Ancelotti.
