Brazil beat Australia in Brisbane four days after drawing with the same opponents in Townsville, but this was a recovery job rather than a clean answer. Vanderson put Brazil ahead, Australia scored twice in five minutes to flip the game, and Brazil still had to lean on Raphinha, Bruno Guimarães and Vinícius Júnior to finish the match off.

Brazil's response after the lead was lost

The opening spell looked comfortable enough for Brazil once Vanderson scored, but Australia quickly dragged the match into a different shape. Two goals in five minutes turned the night around and left Carlo Ancelotti's side chasing control again.

That pattern has to concern Brazil more than the final scoreline helps them. They did score four times in Brisbane, but they also conceded twice and allowed Australia to keep the game alive for too long.

The match carried the kind of tension that was already building by the time Endrick and Harry Souttar clashed, and the stoppages never really settled Brazil down. The result is a win, but not the sort that will calm doubts about the back line.

The attackers who settled it

Bruno Guimarães restored Brazil's lead in the 69th minute, then Vinícius Júnior won and scored a penalty in the 80th minute. Raphinha had already converted from the spot before half-time after Danilo won the penalty, and that proved important once Australia had made the match awkward.

Vinícius Júnior's finish took him to 14 goals in the Brazilian shirt. Raphinha also came in with strong club form, having scored 12 La Liga goals for Barcelona this season, and Vanderson's opener came from a player who had made only 5 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco this season.

Foot Mercato described the night as one where the tension between Endrick and Harry Souttar escalated further. That fits the overall feel of the match, which was messy, physical and far more uncomfortable for Brazil than a friendly against Australia should have been.

The important part is the win itself, because Brazil leave Brisbane with a 4-2 result and four different scorers after a first meeting with Australia that had already been hard work. The next step for Ancelotti is a cleaner performance, not just another recovery from a poor spell.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →