Brazil Takes Down Japan 2-1 in Second Game at #ToN2018

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (July 29, 2018) – After 75 minutes of battling on a hot day at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, Marta scored in the 76^th minute and Beatriz tallied what would eventually be the game-winner with a 90^th minute strike as Brazil defeated Japan, 2-1, in the first game of the second match day at the 2018 Tournament of Nations.

The win kept Brazil in contention for the tournament title, pending the outcome of the USA-Australia match that followed.

In front of a crowd of 13,027, both teams attacked with intent of getting on the board first, but it was no surprise that Marta broke the deadlock with less than 15 minutes left via one of her classic dribbling runs inside the penalty area.

Japan pushed for an equalizer, but it was forward Beatriz who gave Brazil a two-goal lead heading into stoppage time. Of course, Japan did not quit, and Moeno Sakaguchi’s brilliant finish on a diving header in the third minute of stoppage time pulled her team to within one, but the final whistle sounded soon after.

Brazil goalkeeper Aline, making her first appearance of the tournament, pulled off several nice saves in the first half to keep the game scoreless.

Brazil made two changes to the starting eleven that lost 3-1 to Australia on July 26, while Japan made six changes to its starters from a 4-2 loss to the USA. The evenly-played match saw Brazil out-shoot Japan 13-12 with five shots on target to Japan’s three. Possession was split almost evenly, as where the number of passes attempted by both teams, and Brazil had a slight edge on corner kicks, 6-4.

Japan is currently ranked sixth in the world, while Brazil is seventh.

Up Next: After tonight’s doubleheader in Connecticut, the tournament moves to Chicago for a pair of tournament-ending matches at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. where Japan will face Australia on Thursday, Aug. 2 (4:45 p.m. CT) followed by the USA taking on Brazil (7:30 p.m. CT on FS1).

Goal Scoring Rundown:
BRA – Marta (Raquel), 76^th minute: Forward Raquel, a 73^rd minute substitute, forced a turnover by the usually reliable Aya Sameshima deep in the Japanese defense half and the ball rolled to Marta, the one player any defense wants to avoid providing a goal scoring chance. Marta dribbled at the Japan net and into the left side of the penalty area where she evaded Maya Doko, who was playing in her first cap for Japan, before striking a 15-yard shot on the ground that skipped into the lower right corner past diving Japan goalkeeper Sakiko Ikeda.

BRA – Beatriz (Raquel), 90^th minute: Raquel played a nice passed between four Japanese defenders to Beatriz as she made a nice run into the right side of the penalty area. Beatriz avoided the sliding Maya Doka with a sharp cut inside with her left foot and then rolled a left-footed shot into the left side of the net to double the lead.

JPN – Rika Masuya (Moeno Sakaguchi), 90+3^rd minute: Japan took a short corner kick from the right side and the ball was played back to Sakaguchi, who sent a driven cross into the goal mouth where it was met by Masuya on spectacular diving header as she redirected the ball into the net from six yards out.

Key Stops:
BRA – Aline, 7^th minute: Japan got behind the Brazil defense, forcing Aline to come out of the penalty box and head the ball clear. It landed at the feet Risa Shimizu, and she tried to chip the retreating goalkeeper, but instead drove her shot right in the Brazilian goalkeeper’s midsection and she caught it steps inside the penalty area.

BRA – Aline, 10^th minute: Japan once again got behind the Brazil defense, this time it was Mana Iwabuchi, and as she raced into the penalty box, she tried to lift the ball over Aline, but the Brazilian goalkeeper closed the distance in time to smother the shot at close range.

BRA – Aline, 38^th minute: Japan took a free kick from about 30 yards straight away and Yuka Momiki struck her shot off the crossbar. The leaping Aline might have got a touch to it, but the ball flew up in the air and then bounced down in front of the goal. Aline regained her feet to snag the falling ball before a Japanese player could tap it in.

JPN – Sakiko Ikeda, 40^th minute: Marta received a pass inside the penalty area from the right wing and was able to work her way free to shoot from eight yards, only to see Ikeda to pull off a kick save to keep the game scoreless.

- Tournament of Nations Match Report -

Match: Japan vs. Brazil
Date: July 29, 2018
Competition: Tournament of Nations
Venue: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field; East Hartford, Conn.
Kickoff: 4:15 p.m. ET
Attendance: 13,027
Weather: 81 degrees, mostly sunny

Scoring Summary:    1          2          F
JPN                             0          1          1
BRA                             0          2          2

BRA – Marta (Raquel)                                                76th minute
BRA – Beatriz (Raquel)                                              90
JPN – Rika Masuya (Moeno Sakaguchi)                   90+3

Lineups:
JPN: 1-Sakiko Ikeda; 3-Aya Sameshima (capt.), 8-Mana Iwabuchi (14-Yui Hasegawa, 46), 13-Yuika Sugasawa (11-Mina Tanaka, 58), 15-Moeno Sakaguchi, 16-Rin Sumida (7-Emi Nakajima, 72), 17-Yuka Momiki (19-Rika Masuya, 58), 20-Kumi Yokoyama (9-Nahomi Kawasumi, 73), 22-Risa Shimizu, 23-Aimi Kunitake (2-Maya Doko, 68), 24-Narumi Miura
Subs not used: 18-Ayaka Yamashita, 21-Chika Hirao, 4-Shiori Miyake, 6-Saori Ariyoshi, 12-Hina Sugita
Head coach: Asako Takakura

BRA: 12-Aline; 3-Daiane (4-Kathellen, 73), 5-Thaisa, 9-Debinha (20-Raquel, 73), 10-Marta (capt.), 16-Beatriz, 17-Andressinha (7-Camila, 46), 18-Thaís (11-Adriana, 46), 19-Joyce (6-Tamires, 46), 21-Mônica, 23-Rayanne (13-Rilany, 82)
Subs not used: 1-Bárbara, 22-Letícia, 2-Millene, 8-Juliana, 14-Poliana, 15-Tayla
Head coach: Oswaldo Alvarez (Vadão)

Stats Summary: JPN / BRA
Shots: 12 / 13
Shots on Goal: 3 / 5
Saves:  3 / 2
Corner Kicks: 4 / 6
Fouls: 5 / 10
Offside: 2 / 3

Misconduct Summary:
BRA – Daiane (caution)                                              71st minute
BRA – Raquel (caution)                                              90+5                                            

Officials:
Referee: Katja Koroleva (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Felisha Mariscal (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Deleana Quan (USA)
4th Official: Christina Unkel (USA)

2018 Tournament of Nations Standings

Team	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
United States	1	1	0	0	4	2	+2	3
Australia	1	1	0	0	3	1	+2	3
Brazil	2	1	1	0	3	4	-1	3
Japan	2	0	2	0	3	6	-3	0