The Brazilian national team faces the Japanese with an enviable record: 17 wins in 17 games. They last met in a friendly in March this year in Rio de Janeiro. Mexico and Italy play in the other first-round match.
Santos (SP) - Undefeated in 2016, Brazil will take to the court on Friday afternoon, the 21st, to face Japan, starting at 16:30 (Brasília time), making their debut at the Beach Soccer Brazil World Cup, which will be held on Gonzaga beach, in Santos (SP), with live broadcast throughout the country on the SporTV channel and free admission for the public.
When the ball rolls, another unbeaten run will be on the line: 17 wins in 17 matches against the Japanese since the first meeting in 1996 in Okinawa (Japan). Mexico and Italy meet in the other match of the tournament's opening round at 3.15pm, also broadcast on SporTV.
The Brazilian national team's objective is clear: to continue preparing for the Conmebol Qualifiers in Asuncion (Paraguay) in February, and they have their feet firmly planted in the sand.
"Our focus is on the Qualifier, on getting a place in the Bahamas World Cup," said Fernando DDI, from Pernambuco, in reference to the World Cup taking place in May in the Caribbean. "We have three top-level opponents ahead of us here in Santos and then the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai. The planning has been done and the preparation is going very well, we're growing," he added.
This year, the Brazilians and Japanese met in two friendly matches (the first in Copacabana and the second in São Pedro D'Aldeia, in the Lakes Region), with the yellow-green winning 6-2 and 8-4 respectively. Regarding their opponents, respect, praise and one certainty.
"Japan are a team with good technique, they have a great goalkeeper, they like to play at speed too and Ozu is their point of balance. They deserve respect and are in a similar situation to Brazil, preparing for the qualifiers. We've played two friendlies this year, two good games, and we need to be careful throughout the match, because they don't give us much space. It's going to be a very tough game and winning on the opening day is extremely important," said striker Bokinha.
Brazil have already played eight matches this year and are undefeated under Gilberto Costa: they beat Japan in two international friendlies in March, won the South American Championship (in January, in Vitoria-ES) and the Cascais World Cup (in July, in Portugal).
A curiosity that puts Brazil and Japan side by side: Brazilians and Japanese, as well as Argentina, are the three teams in world beach soccer that have never been left out of a FIFA World Cup.
Beach Soccer World Cup Brazil schedule
Friday 21/10
15:15 - Italy-Mexico (SporTV live)
16:30 - Japan-Brazil (SporTV live)
Saturday - 22/10
9:30 a.m. - Brazil-Mexico (SporTV live)
10:45 - Italy-Japan (SporTV live)
Sunday - 23/10
8:50 - Mexico vs. Japan
10:05 - Brazil vs. Italy (TV Globo live)
The Mundialito de Beach Soccer Brasil is organized by FIFO7S (International Federation of Football 7 Society) through the São Paulo State Department of Sport, Leisure and Youth - Paulista Sports Incentive Law. Sponsors - Comgas, Apsen Farmacêutica, Nextel, Hydra Duchas e Torneiras Elétricas and Wickbold. Partnership - Nike and Dolly soft drinks. Support - Confederação de Beach Soccer do Brasil (CBSB), Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), Prefeitura de Santos - Secretaria de Esportes, Sportv and TV Globo. Promotion - Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW), FIFA Beach Soccer and Koch Tavares.
