Brazil beat Australia 4-2 on Tuesday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, ending with a win the pair of friendlies they played on Australian soil. In the first meeting, four days earlier, the two sides drew 1-1.
Brazil went ahead inside the opening minutes through Vanderson, who arrived on the right of the box and finished. Australia's response came in a short burst: Circati equalised in the 29th minute and Metcalfe put the hosts ahead in the 33rd, a lead that lasted little more than ten minutes. Before the half was out, Raphinha converted a penalty to level the score again.
Two penalties and the second-half break
The second half belonged to Brazil. Bruno Guimarães restored the lead around the 20-minute mark of the period, and Vinícius Júnior settled it late on, also from the penalty spot — the second awarded to Brazil in the match.
Two of Brazil's four goals, then, came from penalties, and that says something about the game: Australia were not a passive opponent, and much of the margin came from fouls inside the area rather than from sustained control on the field.
Seven changes and a return to the 4-3-3
Carlo Ancelotti changed seven starters from the first friendly and abandoned the four-forward shape he had tried days earlier, going back to a more conventional 4-3-3. Brazil started with Otávio; Vanderson, Jair, Gabriel Magalhães and Mauro Júnior; Bruno Guimarães, Danilo and Gabriel Bontempo; Rayan, Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior.
Goalkeeper Otávio and midfielder Gabriel Bontempo made their first senior appearance for Brazil, both as starters. Arthur Dias and Breno Bidon also debuted, coming off the bench. Rayan, who had scored the equaliser in the first friendly, took the place previously filled by Estêvão.
India are next
Brazil's Fifa window closes on 3 October against India in Kolkata, an opponent the team has never faced. Asked how much the game matters, Ancelotti said there is "no such thing as a friendly" for Brazil — an answer that signals he intends to keep rotating players without loosening the approach on the field.
With information from Lance!, 10frames, CNN Brasil, Band and Fifa.
