![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Samantha_Lewis.png\")
Sam Lewis<\/p>\nKey events<\/p>\n
Match reportSam Lewis<\/p>\n
Thanks a bunch for joining us here tonight; my keyboard has melted from blogging six goals, two penalties, some fisticuffs on the sidelines, and some delicious football from the first minute to the last.<\/p>\n
It was a cracker of a match that will generate a lot of excitement, not only about the future of Brazil\u2019s national team as they embark on a new World Cup cycle, but also for what the Socceroos might be able to achieve at the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in just four months\u2019 time.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll leave you with Joey Lynch\u2019s match report from Lang Park. See you next time.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lucas Herrington is back in his home state, playing for the Socceroos for the first time in front of his friends and family on home soil. It\u2019s been a meteoric rise for the young centre-back, who was playing for Brisbane Roar barely 10 months ago, and is now starting for Hull City in the Premier League.<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s so special; you can see the support around the stadium. It\u2019s awesome for the first time playing for the Socceroos in Brisbane.<\/p>\n It means everything. I would see them growing up in Brisbane, I know how big the football community is here. It\u2019s been so nice to come home and see the reception we\u2019ve got.<\/p>\n All I\u2019ve ever wanted is to play for the Socceroos, so to do that so early and with such great people, is amazing.<\/p>\n You want to play these types of games and I think it\u2019s a credit to Australia and the Socceroos and the fans that Brazil wants to come here and play us. It was a great game, we really put them under pressure. It shows how far we\u2019ve come. Since I\u2019ve been a Socceroos fan, this is the biggest reception and the most excitement that\u2019s been around the team.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to believe he\u2019s just 19 years old, but he\u2019s said he\u2019ll still find time to get some of his mum\u2019s cooking in before he heads back to Europe tomorrow. Adorable.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Brazil\u2019s Bruno Guimaraes is unsurprisingly chipper as he steps up to the microphone post-game. He compliments the Socceroos for giving them yet another tough outing, noting the home team\u2019s energy and pressing, as well as their compact defence.<\/p>\n What made the difference for them in Brisbane compared to their Townsville draw? As Carlo Ancelotti flagged before kick-off: a change in structure. Guimaraes agrees.<\/p>\n double quotation markI think today we tried a new strategy with three in the midfield, like a 4-3-3, and we had more combinations inside.<\/p>\n Last game, we played a lot of long balls, today we could keep the ball a bit more, and for me that was the key for us to score more goals. We played very well today.<\/p>\n They sure did.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n What a window for Australia<\/a>, hey? On paper, a 1-1 draw and a 4-2 loss don\u2019t look like much, but the manner in which the Socceroos came at this Brazil side over both legs was exactly the kind of football fans wanted to see evolve after the World Cup.<\/p>\n Goal-scorer Connor Metcalfe spoke on the broadcast afterwards, summarising the window pretty aptly:<\/p>\n double quotation markA disappointing result but I feel like, just off the back of the World Cup, we\u2019ve continued to play the football we\u2019re trying to play. I just hope we ve put on two big games for our fans here.<\/p>\n [On his goal]: The game in Townsville, there were a couple opportunities where I could\u2019ve been a bit more selfish, and the coaching staff spoke to me and said \u2018mate, just go for it.\u2019 I didn\u2019t think about it; I just looked down and hit it. Looked up, and it was in the goal.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve had these two brilliant games against Brazil, a top side. We\u2019ve proved we can play against these teams. We\u2019re going to continue the way we are and I think we\u2019ve got a pretty good shot [at the Asian Cup].<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Full-time: Australia 2-4 Brazil<\/p>\n It\u2019s all over in Brisbane as the five-time world champions come from behind to win the second leg, thanks in part to two penalties. But the Socceroos have plenty to be proud of, with some glittering individual performances and a solid team effort that will give fans plenty to look forward to come the Asian Cup in January.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+4 mins: One last burst forward for Brazil<\/a>, their new-look midfield trying to find some combinations as the yellow shirts close down around them. They work the ball a bit wider to Lino, who reaches the by-line but fires his cross out for a goal-kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+2 mins: A sell-out crowd of 52,000 people have crammed into Lang Park for what has become the biggest crowd for a football match at this stadium ever. And they\u2019ve sure got their money\u2019s worth!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 mins: The game is petering out slightly with all these new players. McGree seems to be leading the line for Australia<\/a> now. There are four minutes of added time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 88 mins: Brazil<\/a> made four substitutions a moment ago, while Irvine came off to be replaced by Nishan Vellupillay.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 87 mins: So close! The Socceroos come within an inch of pulling a goal back after a long corner from Aiden O\u2019Neill, who came on at some point that I missed, was poorly punched away. McGree bicycle-kicks it back into the fray, with Yengi getting a hopeful toe onto it, but the ball trickles just wide of the far post.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86 mins: A great switch of play by Irvine finds Behich on the left, who slides a lucky pass into Younis in the centre-left channel. He bodies his defender off the ball and takes off down the left wing, receiving a one-two pass from Tete Yengi. He could open his body up near the top corner of the area and try to curl one to the far corner, but he hesitates and cuts back, the ball clattering off a Brazilian defender and out for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 mins: Marcus Younis, on for his second Australian cap, is the older brother of Talia Younis, a rising star in the women\u2019s national youth teams. Their father, Ray, played in the NSL back in the day. Football runs in the family, it seems!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 82 mins: Brazil<\/a> wind down the clock with two substitutions. Vinicius is off to a standing ovation, replaced by Lino. The captain Guimaraes is off, too, with Martinelli making his debut.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 81 mins: Australia<\/a> make a substitution, with Nestory Irankunda coming off for Marcus Younis.<\/p>\n The sideline scuffle from 15 minutes ago has seemingly fired up the Brazilians. They\u2019ve played with much more energy and directness since that moment, while the Socceroos have wilted and scattered. A shame.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Australia 2-4 Brazil (Vinicius Jr, 80)<\/p>\n A stutter-step run-up almost sabotages him, but Vinicius Jr rolls the ball neatly beneath the diving Patrick Beach to make it four.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Penalty Brazil!<\/p>\n The persistence of Vinicius Jr. finally pays off as the winger tries to dink his way through a sandwich of Irankunda and Italiano, with one of them sticking out a foot to take the Real Madrid man down.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 mins: Brazil\u2019s dark blue wave comes again, with Vinicius finding new life down the left wing. He finds plenty of space behind Italiano, takes a few ranging steps towards the box and arrows a low, hard pass across the white paint for his opposite winger Estevao, whose left-footed strike whizzes over the crossbar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 75 mins: Two consecutive corners for Brazil<\/a> are handled by the Socceroos, but not before a nervous moment where Irvine appeared to clip the heel of a Brazilian in the area, who tumbles into the grass. The replay showed it definitely could\u2019ve been a penalty for a more pedantic referee, but this guy has been letting a lot go tonight, as he does once more this time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73 mins: Brazil<\/a> have the wind at their backs now. Vinicius Jr. picks up the ball near the half-way line and dances past one, two, three yellow shirts. He\u2019s pursued by Jackson Irvine, who rips him down from behind. But the Brazilian isn\u2019t deterred: he takes a quick free kick to Endrick on the left and sprints in behind the line, hooking a cross off a Socceroo for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Australia 2-3 Brazil (Guimaraes, 69)<\/p>\n The Socceroos\u2019 back-line is torn apart by a brilliant pass from midfield, finding Endrick down the left. The substitute sprints into the open green space down the left side of the box and fizzes the ball through two sliding Australian defenders, right onto the foot of his captain Bruno Guimaraes, who turns the ball into the roof of the net from the penalty spot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.45 EDT<\/p>\n 69 mins: Australia<\/a> with their first substitution of the match as Connor Metcalfe is replaced by Riley McGree, who\u2019s back in the fold after missing the World Cup through injury.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 mins: Uh oh. The tension of the last 15 minutes has boiled over, triggered by yet another clattering challenge by Harry Souttar on Endrick. The substitute Brazilian shoves Souttar in the back as the Socceroo walks away, with Aziz Behich coming to his teammate\u2019s side. A Brazilian flies in and it\u2019s on for young and old. The referees try to stand in between them all and Endrick appears to trip backwards over one of them, rolling around in the grass holding his neck for some reason. Everyone takes a breather and a moment to get some fluids as Endrick is tended to on the sideline. Told you to watch it, ref!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 mins: It\u2019s Australia\u2019s turn for a penalty shout now as Irvine, who touches around a Brazilian defender in the box, slams into a navy shirt and falls to the turf as the ball trickles out over the goal line. The crowd roars as multiple Socceroos hold their arms wide, but the referee waves it away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 61 mins: Brazil<\/a> with some more substitutions. The opening goal-scorer Vanderson is off, replaced by Matheuzinho. Estevao is also on for Rayan, while Santos takes the place of Bontempo.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 60 mins: A brilliant piece of build-up from the Socceroos, with some sharp, quick passes zooming around the top of the penalty area. Okon-Engstler finds Irankunda all alone down the left, who clips a sensational cross towards the back post where Jackson Irvine is sprinting, almost in slow-motion, to try and volley it into the net. But he\u2019s just beaten to it by a Brazilian defender, who hoofs it out for a corner.<\/p>\n The ball is floated in by Metcalfe and almost connects with an Aussie head, but it\u2019s just an inch over and headed clear instead.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 57 mins: Second yellow of the match, this time for a frustrated Irankunda who blatantly trips Danilo as he tries to sprint away. The Australian winger knows exactly what he\u2019s done even before the Brazilian hits the grass and walks gingerly away. Silly decision.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 56 mins: The corner falls straight to Gabriel, who thumps his header down into the grass. The ball bounces up, heading for the roof of the net, but Beach launches a big glove to tip it over the crossbar. The following corner comes to nothing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 55 mins: Brazil come close to taking the lead! Endrick wrestles the ball away from Aziz Behich, throwing a hand towards the full-back\u2019s face in the process, before taking off through the centre-circle. He\u2019s charging towards Australia\u2019s centre-backs and slides a pass out left for Vinicius, who dances near the top corner of the box. Instead of shooting, he cleverly clips a ball behind him for an onrushing team-mate, who shoots low and hard across goal. It clips off Patrick Beach on the way and out for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52 mins: Endrick and Souttar are in a tangle, and the substitute\u2019s right boot is suddenly flung off into the air. The Brazilian striker seems to kick out at Australia\u2019s captain, which is shown on replay on the big screen, but nothing is done. A moment later, Souttar returns the kick while grappling with Endrick for an aerial ball. Keep an eye on those two, ref.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 mins: Jacob Italiano has been brilliant this game, and his anticipation once again sees him sprinting up-field with the ball at his feet after intercepting a slow Brazilian pass. He\u2019s stretching and pumping every limb down the right wing to try and edge around Brazil\u2019s own full-back, but he\u2019s muscled off the ball and pushes his opponent into the grass.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.25 EDT<\/p>\n 48 mins: Endrick is in the thick of the action mere minutes after coming on, receiving the ball with his back to goal and pinging a switched pass out to Vinicius on the left. The Real Madrid winger cuts inside and tries to curl a shot towards the back post, but it\u2019s too strong and flings wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 mins: It\u2019s already end-to-end, with the Socceroos letting off a shot before the referee toots his whistle for a free kick in the opposite direction. Brazil go down the other end and win a corner after a shot cracks off an Australian back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Second-half kick-off!<\/p>\n Hold onto your butts!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time substitution: The captain and goal-scorer Raphinha is off, which might be a concern. Endrick comes on to replace him, with the armband transferring to Bruno Guimaraes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Brazil came screaming out of the gates in the first half, playing like they had a point to prove after that underwhelming first leg in Townsville. Vanderson\u2019s goal in the third minute was classic Brazil: a series of one-touch, zippy passes that scythed through Australia\u2019s panicked defenders, finished off with a gorgeous dipping shot into the far corner.<\/p>\n But the Socceroos didn\u2019t let the chaos of the first 10 minutes faze them. They slowly warmed into the half as they began connecting their passes and gaining some midfield territory, with Brazil<\/a> seemingly taking their foot off the gas as the half wore on. Australia\u2019s width was particularly effective, with Nestory Irankunda a constant threat down the left, while Connor Metcalfe and Jacob Italiano poking and prodding down the right.<\/p>\n Circati\u2019s equaliser from a curling Metcalfe corner on the half-hour was well-earned, with the Socceroos looking threatening at every set piece in their attacking box. Metcalfe\u2019s goal in the 34th minute to put Australia ahead was the result of a neat series of passes that exposed Brazil\u2019s lack of a serious defensive midfielder, and a deserved moment in the sun for one of the team\u2019s hardest-working players.<\/p>\n Brazil clawed a goal back in stoppage time through a clear penalty after Harry Souttar took out Danilo in the area, with Raphinha \u2013 who\u2019d floated in and out of the game at points \u2013 burying it in the bottom corner.<\/p>\n This has been a brilliant, entertaining first half. What could the second half bring?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half-time: Australia 2-2 Brazil<\/p>\n Golly. What a half. Anyone else need a few minutes to catch their own breath?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45+3 mins: Irankunda almost puts Australia<\/a> back in the lead! Brazil\u2019s goalkeeper Otavio makes a similar diabolical error to Beach only minutes ago, passing directly to the Socceroos winger near the top corner of the box. Irankunda dances across the white paint to try and create an angle around a Brazilian centre-back, but his shot flies over the crossbar in the rush.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Australia 2-2 Brazil (Raphinha, 45)<\/p>\n Brazil\u2019s captain rockets a low shot into the bottom corner. Patrick Beach dived the right way, but it was hit with too much power.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Penalty Brazil!<\/p>\n The referee points to the spot after a brief moment at the VAR screen. Danilo\u2019s standing leg was taken out by Souttar in the area, who admittedly did fly in pretty recklessly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 42 mins: Penalty shout for Brazil!? Some chaos in the box following that corner sees Danilo seemingly tripped over by a sliding Souttar. The replay shows the Brazilian had clipped the ball away from the Australian defender. The referee has headed to the VAR screen.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 41 mins: A shocking pass from Patrick Beach is almost punished! The Socceroos goalkeeper lingers on the ball before passing straight to Vinicius, who\u2019s floating just inside the box. He tries to take it first time, but mercifully Harry Souttar throws a leg in the way to send the ball out for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39 mins: The first yellow card of the match goes to Brazil\u2019s centre-back Gabriel, who buried his studs into the ankle of Tete Yengi right near the sideline. He tries to argue with the referee, but when the replay shows on the big screen and the crowd groans, he walks sheepishly away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38 mins: The more that Jacob Italiano has got into this game, the better the Socceroos have become. The right full-back is charging up the field once again, feinting a pass in behind for the overlapping Paul Okon-Engstler before shimmying in-field and sending a pass into the box. Metcalfe tries a tricky back-heel towards the penalty spot, but a navy leg clangs it away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 36 mins: Credit to Tete Yengi in the build-up to that goal. The mountainous striker has been picking up loose balls, pressing quickly, and eating up space whenever he can. It was his decision-making on the ball and his movement off it that opened up the space near the D for Metcalfe to step into and shoot. Really smart play.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Australia 2-1 Brazil (Metcalfe, 33)<\/p>\n The Socceroos are ahead! A slick, quick series of passes across the top of the box zips back to Connor Metcalfe, who receives a pass in the central channel. He takes a single touch on his in-step before opening up his body and leathering a strike into the top corner.<\/p>\n The Socceroos get around Updated at\u00a007.00 EDT<\/p>\nSam Lewis<\/p>\n
Connor Metcalfe after his goal. Photograph: Albert Perez\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n