Australia 2-4 Brazil: men’s international football friendly – as it happened

1.33pm BST

Match report 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.

It was a cracker of a match that will generate a lot of excitement, not only about the future of Brazil’s 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’ time.

I’ll leave you with Joey Lynch’s match report from Lang Park. See you next time.

Related: Australia go down fighting to Brazil in fiery 4-2 friendly defeat

1.27pm BST

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’s 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.

It’s so special; you can see the support around the stadium. It’s awesome for the first time playing for the Socceroos in Brisbane.

It means everything. I would see them growing up in Brisbane, I know how big the football community is here. It’s been so nice to come home and see the reception we’ve got.

All I’ve ever wanted is to play for the Socceroos, so to do that so early and with such great people, is amazing.

You want to play these types of games and I think it’s 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’ve come. Since I’ve been a Socceroos fan, this is the biggest reception and the most excitement that’s been around the team.

It’s hard to believe he’s just 19 years old, but he’s said he’ll still find time to get some of his mum’s cooking in before he heads back to Europe tomorrow. Adorable.

1.20pm BST

Brazil’s 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’s energy and pressing, as well as their compact defence.

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.

I think today we tried a new strategy with three in the midfield, like a 4-3-3, and we had more combinations inside.

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.

They sure did.

1.17pm BST

What a window for Australia, hey? On paper, a 1-1 draw and a 4-2 loss don’t 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.

Goal-scorer Connor Metcalfe spoke on the broadcast afterwards, summarising the window pretty aptly:

A disappointing result but I feel like, just off the back of the World Cup, we’ve continued to play the football we’re trying to play. I just hope we ve put on two big games for our fans here.

[On his goal]: The game in Townsville, there were a couple opportunities where I could’ve been a bit more selfish, and the coaching staff spoke to me and said ‘mate, just go for it.’ I didn’t think about it; I just looked down and hit it. Looked up, and it was in the goal.

We’ve had these two brilliant games against Brazil, a top side. We’ve proved we can play against these teams. We’re going to continue the way we are and I think we’ve got a pretty good shot [at the Asian Cup].

1.09pm BST

Full-time: Australia 2-4 Brazil It’s 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.

1.07pm BST

90+4 mins: One last burst forward for Brazil, 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.

1.06pm BST

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’ve sure got their money’s worth!

1.03pm BST

90 mins: The game is petering out slightly with all these new players. McGree seems to be leading the line for Australia now. There are four minutes of added time.

1.02pm BST

88 mins: Brazil made four substitutions a moment ago, while Irvine came off to be replaced by Nishan Vellupillay.

1.01pm BST

87 mins: So close! The Socceroos come within an inch of pulling a goal back after a long corner from Aiden O’Neill, 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.

1.00pm BST

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.

12.58pm BST

83 mins: Marcus Younis, on for his second Australian cap, is the older brother of Talia Younis, a rising star in the women’s national youth teams. Their father, Ray, played in the NSL back in the day. Football runs in the family, it seems!

12.56pm BST

82 mins: Brazil 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.

12.55pm BST

81 mins: Australia make a substitution, with Nestory Irankunda coming off for Marcus Younis.

The sideline scuffle from 15 minutes ago has seemingly fired up the Brazilians. They’ve played with much more energy and directness since that moment, while the Socceroos have wilted and scattered. A shame.

12.53pm BST

GOAL! Australia 2-4 Brazil (Vinicius Jr, 80) A stutter-step run-up almost sabotages him, but Vinicius Jr rolls the ball neatly beneath the diving Patrick Beach to make it four.

12.52pm BST

Penalty Brazil! 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.

12.50pm BST

76 mins: Brazil’s 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.

12.49pm BST

75 mins: Two consecutive corners for Brazil 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’ve 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.

12.47pm BST

73 mins: Brazil 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’s pursued by Jackson Irvine, who rips him down from behind. But the Brazilian isn’t 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.

12.43pm BST

GOAL! Australia 2-3 Brazil (Guimaraes, 69) The Socceroos’ 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.

Updated at 12.45pm BST

12.42pm BST

69 mins: Australia with their first substitution of the match as Connor Metcalfe is replaced by Riley McGree, who’s back in the fold after missing the World Cup through injury.

12.41pm BST

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’s side. A Brazilian flies in and it’s 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!

12.38pm BST

64 mins: It’s Australia’s 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.

12.37pm BST

61 mins: Brazil 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.

12.35pm BST

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’s just beaten to it by a Brazilian defender, who hoofs it out for a corner.

The ball is floated in by Metcalfe and almost connects with an Aussie head, but it’s just an inch over and headed clear instead.

12.31pm BST

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’s done even before the Brazilian hits the grass and walks gingerly away. Silly decision.

12.31pm BST

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.

12.30pm BST

55 mins: Brazil come close to taking the lead! Endrick wrestles the ball away from Aziz Behich, throwing a hand towards the full-back’s face in the process, before taking off through the centre-circle. He’s charging towards Australia’s 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.

12.26pm BST

52 mins: Endrick and Souttar are in a tangle, and the substitute’s right boot is suddenly flung off into the air. The Brazilian striker seems to kick out at Australia’s 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.

12.24pm BST

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’s stretching and pumping every limb down the right wing to try and edge around Brazil’s own full-back, but he’s muscled off the ball and pushes his opponent into the grass.

Updated at 12.25pm BST

12.22pm BST

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’s too strong and flings wide.

12.21pm BST

46 mins: It’s 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.

12.19pm BST

Second-half kick-off! Hold onto your butts!

12.19pm BST

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.

12.09pm BST

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’s goal in the third minute was classic Brazil: a series of one-touch, zippy passes that scythed through Australia’s panicked defenders, finished off with a gorgeous dipping shot into the far corner.

But the Socceroos didn’t 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 seemingly taking their foot off the gas as the half wore on. Australia’s 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.

Circati’s 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’s goal in the 34th minute to put Australia ahead was the result of a neat series of passes that exposed Brazil’s lack of a serious defensive midfielder, and a deserved moment in the sun for one of the team’s hardest-working players.

Brazil clawed a goal back in stoppage time through a clear penalty after Harry Souttar took out Danilo in the area, with Raphinha – who’d floated in and out of the game at points – burying it in the bottom corner.

This has been a brilliant, entertaining first half. What could the second half bring?

12.02pm BST

Half-time: Australia 2-2 Brazil Golly. What a half. Anyone else need a few minutes to catch their own breath?

12.01pm BST

45+3 mins: Irankunda almost puts Australia back in the lead! Brazil’s 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.

11.59am BST

GOAL! Australia 2-2 Brazil (Raphinha, 45) Brazil’s captain rockets a low shot into the bottom corner. Patrick Beach dived the right way, but it was hit with too much power.

11.58am BST

Penalty Brazil! The referee points to the spot after a brief moment at the VAR screen. Danilo’s standing leg was taken out by Souttar in the area, who admittedly did fly in pretty recklessly.

11.56am BST

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.

11.55am BST

41 mins: A shocking pass from Patrick Beach is almost punished! The Socceroos goalkeeper lingers on the ball before passing straight to Vinicius, who’s 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.

11.53am BST

39 mins: The first yellow card of the match goes to Brazil’s 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.

11.52am BST

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.

11.51am BST

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.

11.48am BST

GOAL! Australia 2-1 Brazil (Metcalfe, 33) 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.

Updated at 12.00pm BST

11.46am BST

32 mins: Australia have all the momentum now, finding more and more space through the middle of the park. Irankunda ghosts in and out of two Brazilian players to send a long pass down the wing for a sprinting Aziz Behich, who’s covered 3/4 of the field in just a few seconds. The veteran turns backwards though and brings the tempo back down, giving the Socceroos some more time on the ball.

11.44am BST

29 mins: There was a brief delay as the goal was checked by VAR. The linesperson had held up his flag for a potential offside, but the replay showed the ball clip off a blue shirt before falling to Circati at the back post. It’s all square at Lang Park.

11.42am BST

GOAL! Australia 1-1 Brazil (Circati, 28) A terrific curling corner from Metcalfe is touched on by a Brazilian head, falling to Circati at the back post. The centre-back twists and flicks his foot to connect with the ricochet, spinning the ball into the back of the net.

Updated at 11.59am BST

11.40am BST

25 mins: Harry Souttar comes to the rescue once again, charging down a rogue Brazil ball that’s being forlornly chased down the left. He receives a clattering tackle for his efforts and takes a moment to catch his breath in the grass. He’s fine, though. Just wanted a little rest.

11.37am BST

22 mins: First corner of the game for Australia after a gut-busting chase from Jacob Italiano down the right wing. Metcalfe swings the ball in with his left foot, and it looks for a moment like the sea of blue is opening for a header aiming for the back of the net, only for the big head of Gabriel to appear from nowhere and thunder the ball away.

11.36am BST

21 mins: A poor pass from Danilo in midfield is intercepted by Tete Yengi, who’s the only yellow shirt in the centre circle as he lopes forward with the ball at his feet. Irankunda comes screaming down the left and receives the pass, cutting inside to shape to shoot… only to be tripped over just outside the box. He tumbles into the grass as the crowd roars, only for the referee to wave him away. The replay shows it was a very soft touch. Good call.

11.34am BST

20 mins: Australia are in their attacking third now, having won a throw-in after an Italiano square pass was hoofed clear. They can’t make the most of it, though, and Brazil pounce on a poor pass to try and transition quickly up-field. Vinicius takes off near the half-way line to chase a low through-ball, but the long legs of Harry Souttar come charging across the grass to connect and pass calmly back to Patrick Beach.

11.32am BST

17 mins: Irankunda is trying his luck again, picking up the ball and taking off down the left wning. The ball threatens to skitter away from his electric pace, so he slides in to try and keep possession as a Brazilian defender tracks him into the box. He trips himself and his opponent over, receiving a knee to the back of the head in the process as the ball trickles out for a goal kick.

11.30am BST

15 mins: Another gorgeous sequence of passes from Brazil down the right wing, their navy shirts carving triangles through the scattered yellow. Aziz Behich is pulled between two players, leaving Rayan totally free near the top corner of the penalty area. The Bournemouth winger tries to curl a shot towards the far post but it just flies wide.

11.28am BST

13 mins: Brazil have played better in these opening minutes than they arguably did for most of the first leg in Townsville. The stats tell the story: 68% possession to Australia’s 32%, 7 touches in the opposition box to 3, and 5 shots (3 on target) to Australia’s 1 (0). This was much more the performance that fans were expecting.

11.25am BST

11 mins: Raphinha is getting more involved now, dropping deep to collect the ball before turning and charging into the half-space behind Australia’s midfield. Irvine tries to chase him down and pulls the Barcelona man to the ground, giving away a free kick 35 yards out that comes to nothing.

11.24am BST

9 mins: Australia with their first half-chance of the match! Jackson Irvine combines nicely with Metcalfe down the right with a one-two, slicing through Brazil’s back-line before clipping a ball centrally to Yengi who’s near the penalty spot. The striker turns and tries to volley, but it clatters into a Brazilian thigh and is cleared upfield.

Updated at 11.25am BST

11.23am BST

8 mins: Finally, Nestory Irankunda is on the ball. He picks up a pass on the left wing and is immediately surrounded by three dark shirts who cling to him like magnets. He spins and bursts out from between them all, taking off towards Brazil’s back-line. He tries to cut inside near the top of the box but a hopeful toe is stuck out to poke the ball away.

11.21am BST

7 mins: So much space is opening up in midfield, with Rayan now drifting inside and collecting a square pass on his left foot, opening his body up and rocketing a shot over the crossbar. Ancelotti was right with his prediction about outnumbering Australia through the middle; they’re all over them at the moment.

11.20am BST

5 mins: The smooth Brisbane grass is seemingly doing wonders for Brazil, now able to move the ball faster and more sharply than they did last week, finding plenty of half-spaces in between Australia’s defensive and midfield lines. The Socceroos look shell-shocked and are struggling to connect more than two passes together, with Beach hoofing a ball out for a throw in a panic.

11.18am BST

3 mins: It’s all happening! Brazil have raced into their attacking third after pinching the ball from the kick-off, forcing Patrick Beach into an epic double save. Australia’s back-line are throwing themselves all over the pitch trying to block passes and shots, and luckily win a goal kick. A wild start.

11.17am BST

GOAL! Australia 0-1 Brazil (Vanderson, 3') Some smart, slicing passes down the right side of Australia’s penalty area finds the full-back, who shimmies and volleys the ball into the far corner.

Updated at 12.07pm BST

11.15am BST

1 min: Brazil have wasted no time getting their foot on the ball, passing it around the backline before being hassled into a long clearance by a high, fast Australian press. Jackson Irvine trips over Guimaraes near the box and gives away the first free kick of the game.

11.13am BST

Kick-off! Toooooot! And we’re away!

Updated at 11.22am BST

11.12am BST

Australia take the field tonight in their iconic yellow shirts with green shorts and white socks, while Brazil are in their lush navy blue and black away kits.

Updated at 11.23am BST

11.09am BST

As the two teams walk out on to the pitch to prepare for the anthems, the commentators are giving us a little history lesson.

Australia has beaten Brazil just once in their 11 meetings, which came 25 years ago. That was, coincidentally, the only other time that the Socceroos had scored against the former world champions… until last Friday in Townsville.

In another cute piece of trivia, Australia’s head coach Tony Popovic shadowed Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan as he was starting out on his coaching journey while still a player at Crystal Palace. Now they’re facing each other across the dugout. The master v the apprentice.

The two nations are separated by 23 spots on the FIFA men’s rankings, but based on last week’s game, you really couldn’t tell. Might we see a little bit more history made tonight?

Updated at 11.23am BST

10.59am BST

The lights of Lang Park have gone down, the flamethrowers are roaring, and the music is pumping as the stadium announcer reads the two line-ups.

Irankunda, unsurprisingly, gets the biggest roar from the almost sell-out crowd. Big Sam-Kerr-but-for-the-boys energy.

Kick-off is just minutes away. Who wins this one, team? Email me your predictions: samantha.lewis.freelance@guardian.co.uk

Updated at 11.22am BST

10.55am BST

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti has also shared the thinking behind his mass rotation of players for this second match.

We have to be a little bit sharper in front compared to the last game, and hope everything will be okay.

For us, it’s another test… I think we will play a little bit different from the first game. It is a test and I would like to know about the young players who have a lot of quality.

We are going to play with three midfielders; a little different from the first game. We have to keep open the two systems, with the first striker in front because we have a lot of quality in front, but with three midfielders it keeps us more balanced in the middle of the pitch.

Australia’s two central midfielders might be in for a rude shock tonight based on that.

Updated at 11.22am BST

10.50am BST

Tony Popovic gives us a little hint as to what we can expect from the Socceroos tonight, with one eye on the Asian Cup. He spoke to Paramount+ before the game.

It’s a challenge for all of us. We’ve named the same line-up, and want to see if Nestor [Irankunda] can make the same impact as he had the other day, four days later.

That’s part of his growth individually. But also, as a team, we want to develop and try to challenge Brazil once more.

The back-line is still new. They played together for the first time at the World Cup, and it was nice to get another game together in Townsville. So trying to find some continuity is good. They’ll be challenged tonight, but they’re excited by that challenge and I think the fans are as well.

We want to walk away from these two games pleased.

Jackson Irvine shared some thoughts, too:

We want to play on the front foot, especially at the beginning of games. Be aggressive, be positive, so we’re looking to do that again tonight which will hopefully give us a strong foot-hold once again.

It’s just working on the details; on the small margins and percentages that can turn the positive performances we’ve been putting in into positive results. We’ve taken some big steps forward, even this week.

Hard to disagree with you there, Jacko!

Updated at 11.22am BST

10.47am BST

Brazil XI Seleção (4-2-3-1): Otavio (GK, 12); Gabriel (3), Cunha (24), Junior (16), Vanderson (2); Guimaraes (8), Danilo (5); Bontempo (25), Rayan (26), Vinicius (7); Raphinha (C, 10).

Brazil, meanwhile, have made seven changes from the opening game, with midfielders Guimaraes and Danilo, plus attackers Raphinha and Vinicius, the only players remaining from the Townsville draw.

Updated at 11.22am BST

10.46am BST

Australia XI Socceroos (5-3-2): Beach (GK, 18); Circati (3), Souttar (C, 19), Herrington (25), Behich (16), Italiano (4); Irvine (22), Metcalfe (8), Okon-Engstler (24); Irankunda (17), Yengi (26).

No changes for Australia from the first friendly in Townsville, and who could blame Tony Popovic after such an impressive performance? Let’s see if they can do it again.

Updated at 11.22am BST

10.43am BST

Irankunda isn’t the only star-boy in the Socceroos now, though. Lucas Herrington’s rapid rise from Brisbane Roar to Hull City has been a marvel to watch, alongside the club moves made by the likes of Alessandro Circati (Benfica), Paul Okon-Engstler (Köln), and Patrick Beach (Troyes).

If you, like me, struggle to keep tabs on what’s happening with all the Aussies everywhere, you can sign up for Football Desk Australia: our free, weekly newsletter with the brilliant Jonathan Wilson.

Related: Sign up for the Football Desk Australia email, our free weekly newsletter from Jonathan Wilson

Updated at 11.21am BST

10.40am BST

Pitch, please.

For all the pride and bombast of the Queensland government when promoting this friendly series, Townsville sure didn’t roll out the green carpet for the visiting South Americans.

The local council reportedly had 20 untouched days to get the pitch ready for the first match, yet it was visibly patchy and raw from the opening whistle. The first couple of passes barely travelled in a straight line due to bobbling and bouncing off random tufts of turf.

Players from both teams also slipped multiple times, sending their passes whizzing long or wide of their targets. The unstable ground almost certainly affected both teams’ abilities to attack in the ways they wanted to, with final touches and passes sabotaged by the field.

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti was openly critical of the surface after the game, saying “it was difficult to play on a pitch like this, and we hope to have a better pitch for the next game.”

Lang Park in Brisbane has had even less time to prepare after hosting an NRL preliminary final between the Dolphins and the Roosters on Friday, but based on the look of it on the broadcast as the teams warm up, it hopefully won’t play the same starring role in tonight’s friendly. Thank goodness.

Updated at 11.21am BST

10.34am BST

Anyone who’s been paying attention to the Socceroos over the past 18 months already knows about Nestory Irankunda, but the youngster’s performance against Brazil last week undoubtedly introduced him to a whole new South American audience.

From his slaloming run and strike in the sixth minute to his bullet free kick to put Australia ahead in the 68th, the Sporting winger reminded all of us what he’s capable of when played in the position he’s best at.

It does make you wonder what the World Cup may have looked like for the Socceroos had Irankunda played down the left for the whole tournament, instead of spending the final few games at centre-forward where he played with his back to goal and got shoved to the ground most of the time.

Head coach Tony Popovic said he has “no major regrets” from the World Cup, though admitted he had reflected on the loss to Egypt and the lack of impact Australia had in the front third up until the penalty shoot-out. Juggling different players based on fitness and fatigue levels was part of that dilemma, apparently, while the loss of Jacob Italiano and Jordan Bos to injury took the wind out of their sails.

Yet the question of Irankunda still lingers. With Mohamed Touré and Tete Yengi - two natural centre-forwards - seemingly available for those games, Popovic persisted with Irankunda up front against Egypt, where he achieved very little and looked frustrated as a result.

But against Brazil last week, we saw how lethal he can be when given the space to turn and tear in behind or run directly at defenders. He’s in the lineup once again tonight, where you’d expect to see the same. Come the Asian Cup, one would hope Popovic has learned that lesson, too.

Updated at 11.21am BST

10.27am BST

This international window carries a bit more urgency for Australia than for Brazil, with the Socceroos already preparing for the 2027 Asian Cup which kicks off in Saudi Arabia in January.

Head coach Tony Popovic has used the opportunity to bring in a few new faces, though his hand has been forced somewhat by a spate of injuries to some of his World Cup players including Mohamed Touré (shoulder), Cristian Volpato (hamstring), Cameron Burgess (Achilles), Jordan Bos (knee), and Alex Robertson, while a few veterans including captain Mat Ryan, Mat Leckie, and Awer Mabil simply weren’t selected.

The silver lining is that five debutants were called up for this series in goalkeeper Jacob Chapman, Kealey Adamson, Eli Adams, Yaya Dukuly and Marcus Younis, who earned his first cap in Townsville. Kasey Bos – the younger brother of Jordan – and teenage defender Dylan Leonard were also selected and could make their debuts today.

There is a growing sense that this group may become the best Socceroos side since the Golden Generation of the early 2000s, with this year’s World Cup acting as a launchpad for several Australian stars into bigger and better clubs.

It’s in rather stark contrast to Brazil, who appear to still be figuring out what their new era looks like after getting knocked out of the World Cup by Norway in the round of 16.

They never really got going under Carlo Ancelotti in North America, but the head coach has called in a couple younger names to this camp such as Artur Dias (Athletico Paranaense) and Maurio Júnior (PSV Eindhoven) as they look to slowly and sustainably rebuild, with their next World Cup qualifiers starting in late 2027.

How do you think this Socceroos team will fare come January, friends? With Singapore, Iraq, and Tajikistan in their group, are they ready to seriously compete at the Asian Cup or are they still a bit too green?

Send me your thoughts and feelings via email at samantha.lewis.freelance@guardian.co.uk

Updated at 11.21am BST

10.20am BST

Preamble Hello folks and welcome to live coverage of the Socceroos’ second and final friendly match against Brazil. Tonight’s game at Lang Park in Brisbane will kick off at 8.10pm AEST (7.10am BRT).

It was framed as a David v Goliath match when Australia hosted the Seleção in Townsville last week, but the 90 minutes that unfolded on the rough north Queensland turf told a totally different story.

The Socceroos were seconds from a famous win after Nestory Irankunda’s dipping free kick, only to cop an equaliser from substitute Rayan in stoppage time.

Still stinging from a disappointing World Cup campaign, Brazil did not make a particularly strong statement that they’re turning things around. Despite Brazil starting some of their biggest players such as Marquinhos, Guimarães, Raphinha, and Vinícius Júnior, they struggled to break down an organised and aggressive Australian backline, carving out only a handful of serious chances on goal.

The Socceroos, meanwhile, continued their own World Cup theme of collective defence, pressing with gusto, and choosing their moments to attack at speed, though the cow-paddock surface dented some of those chances.

Both teams will feel they were robbed of something in that first match, be it a historic home win against the five-time world champions on the side of Australia, or an opportunity to turn a new page and show their true quality in the case of Brazil. Tonight’s rematch in Brisbane will be a chance for each to make amends.

In case you missed the game itself, you can catch up on the blow-by-blow over on Martin Pegan’s live blog here, or if you don’t have that kind of time and just want to get a sense of the vibes, take a read of Joey Lynch’s match report below.

Related: Socceroos denied famous win as late Brazil goal cancels out Irankunda stunner