Japan hope to slay Brazil without star player in World Cup knockouts

In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.

Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil's team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn't know much about the Japanese squad.

"I don't know who their best player is," Rayan 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."

The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston.

Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed "the Japanese Messi," or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn't played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan's opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash.

Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage -- and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October.

Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don't have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.

"Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning," coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. "Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren't given a chance to win. This possibility to win -- we can change history."

After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil's goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three.

They've made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland.

For what it's worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals.

The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002.

"We're not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker," Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. "But I'm pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it's a knockout competition. We need to show real grit."

--Field Level Media