Japan draw but Brazil progress
Japan 2 Brazil 2
Japan secured an impressive 2-2 draw with World Cup holders Brazil just three days after defeating European champions Greece but it was not enough to ensure the Asian champions would progress to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup.
Masashi Oguro scored three minutes from time to give the Japanese a share of the points, but the draw was all Brazil needed to guarantee second spot in Group B and set up a last four clash with hosts Germany in a repeat of the 2002 World Cup final.
Santos star Robinho had given Brazil the lead 10 minutes into the game and Shunsuke Nakamura equalised for Japan 17 minutes later before FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho claimed what looked to be the winner 13 minutes before the end of the first half.
But Oguro scored from close range after Nakamura’s curling free kick had cannoned back off the post and Brazilian goalkeeper Marcos could do little about the Gamba Osaka man’s goal.
In a game that saw Japan coach Zico face his home nation for the first time, the Brazilians took the lead during an opening spell in which they looked capable of scoring at any given moment.
In the fifth minute Adriano shot into the side netting and a minute later the Internazionale striker just missed making contact with Robinho’s ball across the face of goal.
But four minutes later the opener came, Brazil breaking after a Japanese corner, Ronaldinho robbing Akira Kaji of the ball before running at Japan’s defence.
As the Asian champions’ back line held off, Robinho popped up on the Barcelona man’s left shoulder before receiving the ball inside the penalty area and slotting past Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.
Kaka should have doubled Brazil’s lead seven minutes later when his deft first touch set him up from close range but, after beating Kawaguchi, the AC Milan playmaker saw his effort come back off the post.
Breath-taking in the opening 17 minutes, the Brazilians eased off the gas and, as a result, the Japanese hauled themselves back into the contest.
Hidetoshi Nakata had the time and space to fire off a long range drive that failed to trouble Marcos while Atsushi Yanagisawa hit the crossbar when he flicked on Mitsuo Ogasawara’s inswinging free kick.
Japan’s equalizer, in the 27th minute, came out of nowhere.
As the Brazilian midfield sat back, Nakamura hammered home a swerving effort from 30 metres that Brazil’s World Cup-winning custodian could do little to stop.
The goal stirred the Brazilians once again, and within five minutes Carlos Alberto Parreira’s team was back on top as Ronaldinho reacted first to Robinho’s pull back from the left side to slide the ball under Kawaguchi.
Kaka’s curling effort five minutes from the end of the half was close to registering a third for Brazil, but in the second half the South Americans rarely threatened.
Oguro, on for the ineffective Keiji Tamada at half time, unnerved the Brazilian defence immediately after the restart, his pass into the path of Yanagisawa allowing the Messina striker hit the target, only for Marcos to block his shot.
