ShareBrazil have reached the quarter-finals in each of the past eight World Cups, while Japan are targeting a third consecutive appearance in the Round of 16.By Filip MishovThe five-time world champions looking to avoid the Samurai’s sword in HoustonBrazil have gradually improved along the way during the World Cup Group Stage, and following the 1-1 draw with Morocco in Group C’s opening match, Vinícius Júnior & co. quickly recovered to record dominant wins against Haiti and Scotland. Subsequently, the five-time world champions are entering the Round of 32 as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, with only Canada boasting a higher xG (8.9) than their 7.3.Japan displayed quality and character to stay unbeaten and finish only behind the Netherlands in Group F, leaving Sweden to face the might of France in the Round of 32.The Samurai Blue are not far off Brazil’s efficient attack (7 scored), but Hiroki Ito & co. will have to solidify their defence further if they are to replicate the success of reaching the last 16 in the 2018 and 2022 finals. History is on Brazil’s side as well, with the Seleção comfortably defeating Japan in the 2006 World Cup Group Stage in Dortmund.Key playersAfter coming off the bench in the opening match, Matheus Cunha made the no. 9 position his own in the starting lineup, with the flamboyant forward scoring a brace against Haiti and then finding the back of the net against Scotland too. The 27-year-old added dynamism and flair to Brazil’s attacking trident alongside, Vinícius Júnior and Rayan, and was awarded as the Player of the Match against Haiti, earning a FotMob rating of 8.9 and averaging a rating of 8.7 in the last couple of starts.Daichi Kamada is Japan’s midfield orchestrator, pulling the strings alongside Ao Tanaka and the Crystal Palace midfielder is deservedly one of the highest-rated (7.75) players in the squad and the joint top scorer (2 goals) with Ayase Ueda. The tireless Samurai scored in back-to-back matches in the group stage and his performance against Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães will be crucial to Japan’s hopes of causing an upset in Houston.Team newsRaphinha remains on the sidelines but the Brazilian is targeting the Round of 16 for a possible return if his teammates are successful here. Carlo Ancelotti has the rest of his squad fit and ready to go.Similarly to Raphinha, Takefusa Kubo is still recovering from an injury sustained in the opening match and although the playmaker is back in first-team training, coach Hajime Moriyasu has ruled him out of this match.PredictionBrazil are improving with each passing match, and Carlo Ancelotti’s squad possesses all the necessary ingredients to add a record-breaking sixth golden star on the shirt, but I do not expect Japan to be pushovers.The Samurai Blue are well organized and hard to break down, similar to Morocco, but I believe that Brazil have more than enough to come out on top in the end.(Cover image from IMAGO)You can follow every game from at the World Cup with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.Brazil have reached the quarter-finals in each of the past eight World Cups, while Japan are targeting a third consecutive appearance in the Round of 16.By Filip MishovThe five-time world champions looking to avoid the Samurai’s sword in HoustonBrazil have gradually improved along the way during the World Cup Group Stage, and following the 1-1 draw with Morocco in Group C’s opening match, Vinícius Júnior & co. quickly recovered to record dominant wins against Haiti and Scotland. Subsequently, the five-time world champions are entering the Round of 32 as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, with only Canada boasting a higher xG (8.9) than their 7.3.Japan displayed quality and character to stay unbeaten and finish only behind the Netherlands in Group F, leaving Sweden to face the might of France in the Round of 32.The Samurai Blue are not far off Brazil’s efficient attack (7 scored), but Hiroki Ito & co. will have to solidify their defence further if they are to replicate the success of reaching the last 16 in the 2018 and 2022 finals. History is on Brazil’s side as well, with the Seleção comfortably defeating Japan in the 2006 World Cup Group Stage in Dortmund.Key playersAfter coming off the bench in the opening match, Matheus Cunha made the no. 9 position his own in the starting lineup, with the flamboyant forward scoring a brace against Haiti and then finding the back of the net against Scotland too. The 27-year-old added dynamism and flair to Brazil’s attacking trident alongside, Vinícius Júnior and Rayan, and was awarded as the Player of the Match against Haiti, earning a FotMob rating of 8.9 and averaging a rating of 8.7 in the last couple of starts.Daichi Kamada is Japan’s midfield orchestrator, pulling the strings alongside Ao Tanaka and the Crystal Palace midfielder is deservedly one of the highest-rated (7.75) players in the squad and the joint top scorer (2 goals) with Ayase Ueda. The tireless Samurai scored in back-to-back matches in the group stage and his performance against Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães will be crucial to Japan’s hopes of causing an upset in Houston.Team newsRaphinha remains on the sidelines but the Brazilian is targeting the Round of 16 for a possible return if his teammates are successful here. Carlo Ancelotti has the rest of his squad fit and ready to go.Similarly to Raphinha, Takefusa Kubo is still recovering from an injury sustained in the opening match and although the playmaker is back in first-team training, coach Hajime Moriyasu has ruled him out of this match.PredictionBrazil are improving with each passing match, and Carlo Ancelotti’s squad possesses all the necessary ingredients to add a record-breaking sixth golden star on the shirt, but I do not expect Japan to be pushovers.The Samurai Blue are well organized and hard to break down, similar to Morocco, but I believe that Brazil have more than enough to come out on top in the end.(Cover image from IMAGO)You can follow every game from at the World Cup with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.