Japan 1-3 Brazil: 5 Talking Points

#3 Chinks in the Japanese armour exposed

Japan v Brazil - International Friendly

Ever since claiming the 2011 Asia cup, the Samurai has seen his sword lose some edginess; Japan have been on the wane and today, they aren't even the best in Asia anymore. The Vahid Halilhodzic-led outfit's quality has receded in the years following their Asian glory and in the friendly to Brazil, left a lot to be desired.

Whilst the gulf in class between the sides is mammoth, the way Japan meekly surrendered to Brazil's high-octane counter-attacking style would worry the aforementioned Bosnian gaffer ahead of the Russian megaevent.

In the blistering opening 45 minutes when the Canaries ran the rings around Japan, the latter wilted, forcing into cheap errors at the back and diving into nasty fouls.

The defensive muddle suggested the extent to which the Samurai Blue succumbed, and it was only after Brazil's relatively laid-back approach post the interval that allowed them to claw their way back into it and give some breathing space.

The handful of efforts pilfered in the first 45 turned into genuine attacks as Tomoaki Makino pulled one back for the beleaguered Japanese side when he headed Ideguchi's cross into the back of the net. That salvaged some pride for Halilhodzic's men.

Japan are no longer the force that they once were, and was evident from today's showings that the gap between them and the rest of the elites of the world has grown wider than ever.