Vinicius Jr. delivered a strong performance for Brazil on Saturday despite a 3-2 friendly defeat against Japan in Singapore.
The Real Madrid forward scored twice to erase a two-goal deficit, providing a “timely reminder of his attacking quality” amid questions regarding his current form, according to Yahoo Sports.
Japan opened the scoring early with goals from Takefusa Kubo and Keito Nakamura in the 15th and 19th minutes.
Vinicius responded for Brazil with a long-range strike in the 33rd minute to narrow the gap before the halftime break.
The forward found the net again in the 75th minute with a low finish to tie the match at 2-2, completing his brace.
This individual display served as a positive step for a player who has recently faced “scrutiny over his performances at club level”, as reported by Madrid Universal.
Despite the comeback effort, Japan secured the victory in the 91st minute when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto converted a goal following a scramble inside the penalty area.
The winning goal sparked intense frustration among the Brazilian contingent, who argued that a foul occurred during the build-up.
The heated protests resulted in immediate consequences for the team management and squad.
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti was issued a straight red card for his role in the dispute.
Raphinha, who had already been substituted out of the match, was also dismissed by the officials following the heated exchange.
While the match ended in a loss, the performance of Vinicius provided a focal point for observers tracking his recovery of confidence and sharpness.
The outlets reported that although one international appearance cannot fully resolve concerns about his consistency, the two goals against Japan demonstrated his continued ability to threaten from distance.
Brazil now looks to regroup after the contentious conclusion to the friendly match in Singapore.