TOKYO: With a penalty kick by Neymar At the National Stadium in Tokyo on Monday, Brazil defeated fellow World Cup qualifiers Japan by a score of 1-0. The goal was scored 13 minutes from the end of the game by the striker for Paris St. Germain, who moved to within three goals of Pele’s all-time national scoring record. After being denied numerous times by the Japanese goalkeeper in front of a wet crowd of 63,638 supporters, the striker scored his 74th goal in 119 international matches by calmly sliding the ball past Shuichi Gonda. This was the forward’s 74th goal overall.
Tite’s squad is now preparing for their attack on the World Cup, which will take place in Qatar in November. Brazil’s victory came on the heels of their 5-1 thumping of South Korea on Thursday. When the away team’s Lucas Paqueta got on the end of Neymar’s instinctive backheel ball inside the penalty area, he struck the post in the opening two minutes of play. This was the first time the away team had a legitimate scoring opportunity.
Neymar’s well-struck, curling attempt from beyond the area was palmed to safety by the goalkeeper after it flew through a throng of players. Soon after, Fred blasted over from a distance, and Raphina caused Shuichi Gonda to make a stop with his feet. Three minutes before the conclusion of the first half, Gonda was there again to keep out the guests. Pacqueta had sent the ball on to Neymar, but the player for Paris Saint-Germain was unable to capitalise on the opportunity.
Neymar continued to press the issue, and eight minutes after the resumption of play, Endo’s head got in the way of one of the Brazilian striker’s shots. Meanwhile, Ko Itakura made a superbly timed intervention to position himself in the way of Neymar’s volley, which was headed toward the Japan goal. However, in the end, the pressure paid off, and Neymar was back where he belonged: in the centre of the action. Gonda made a great stop on the 30-year-first old’s attempt, but when Richarlison, a replacement, tried to gather possession, he was pulled down by Endo, and referee Alireza Faghani pointed to the penalty spot. Neymar scored for the ninth time in five matches against the Japanese by playing Gonda the wrong way to go closer to surpassing Pele’s long-standing record for most goals scored against a single team.
