Lausanne, Switzerlans, June 1, 2018 - It's been a quarter of a century since Japan last beat Brazil (in the 1993 FIVB World League) and eleven years since Japan even won a set against the South Americans, at the 2007 FIVB World Cup), as the two teams clash Saturday in Goiania, for the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. This leaves the reigning Olympic champions with a 22-match winning streak in their head-to-head series (including the last five matches in straight sets).
Head-to-Head
• Brazil have won each of the last 22 world level major competition encounters with Japan since a 3-2 loss at the 1993 World League on 4 July.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Brazil have won each of the last five world level major competition encounters with Japan in straight sets.
• The last time Japan won a set against Brazil came in the 2007 World Cup, when Brazil won 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18).
Brazil
• Brazil have won three matches in straight sets (versus Serbia, Germany and Korea), but also lost once in a five-setter against Italy in this VNL.
• Brazil have won at least two sets in each of their last 14 matches in world level major competitions (W11-L3).
• Brazil have won the first set in each of their last 16 world level major matches, since a 3-1 defeat against Bulgaria in the 2017 World League.
• The last 10 world level major competition matches from Brazil finished either in a 3-0 win or a 3-2 defeat.
Japan
• Japan have lost their last VNL match against the United Stated in five sets after being 2-0 in front.
• Japan have won and lost three of the last six five set matches in world level major competitions.
• Japan have lost nine of their last 10 matches in world level major competitions in Brazil, with the only exception a 3-2 victory against Canada at the 1990 World Championship.
• Yuji Nishida scored a match high 16 points against the United States. The top scorer of the team has now scored a total of 67 points in the VNL.