After his side beat Scotland 3-0 on Tuesday, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti was more upbeat than he's been since the World Cup started.
"This is the objective," he said. "Now we are playing as a team."
It was not just the result that left Don Carlo with a quiet sense of satisfaction. It was the sensation of progress, the feeling that this was not only Brazil's best game of the World Cup, but it was arguably the best since the Italian landed in Rio de Janeiro some 13 months ago.
The reason? It was clear to see that the side were putting into practice the concepts that Ancelotti has stressed since day one.
The first concept, made very clear in his opening news conference, was that he did not want his team to have a distinct identity. This, he argued, would make the players predictable. Instead, his preference was for a team capable of doing different things, of interpreting the match and reacting as necessary.
This was admirably borne out by the display against the Scots. Brazil's opponents enjoyed slightly more of the first-half possession because there are moments when Ancelotti wants his team to drop deep.
But the two first-half goals -- and Brazil appeared very unfortunate to have had a third disallowed -- came as a consequence of a high press, with the team working collectively to put Scotland under pressure as they attempted to play out from the back.
Brazil then managed to fluctuate efficiently between the two approaches. The high press also brought them both goals in the win over Egypt in their final warmup game. But in their World Cup opener against Morocco, they fell behind when they were caught with the team badly positioned to deal with a quick break from the opposition.
"I'm happy because the team has got a lot better," Ancelotti said. "Now we look solid, and in the knockout phase, being solid is very important."
This leads directly to the second concept that Ancelotti stressed from the start: the need for balance. On his first day in the new job, I asked him if he had seen the previous game, when under coach Dorival Junior they went down to a disastrous 4-1 defeat to Argentina. He had. His conclusion? "No balance. Talent, but no balance."
The best definition of Ancelotti's task as Brazil coach is exactly that -- to supply the balance that enables the talent to make the difference. And his greatest challenge was to balance out a side whose strong point is the wingers, and especially Vinícius Júnior.
It has not been a smooth ride. His original idea was to feature a front four. This always looked like a stretch. It leaves only two men in the centre of midfield, one of whom is the 34-year-old Casemiro.
And sure enough, the first half of Brazil's first warmup game, at home to Panama, was extremely worrying. Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro were outnumbered and outplayed. A third midfielder was necessary.
But Ancelotti had only named five midfielders in his World Cup squad -- not enough for an eight-game tournament.
This was corrected after the Egypt game, when right back Wesley suffered an injury. He was cut from the squad and replaced by new Manchester United midfielder Éderson.
But now Ancelotti was left without an attacking right back. Wesley was going to provide the width on that side of the field. Ancelotti had to rejig, tweak a few things in order to maintain his initial conception.
He is a coach who likes to work from a template of 4-4-2 ("It is the shape of the pitch," he said). The wide players are expected to work back.
Vini Junior is a wide player -- and yet, he is not expected to work back. It would make no sense. Brazil want him close to the opposing goal.
So how to square the circle? With another front player willing to drop deep and cover the space down the left flank. This was to be Matheus Cunha, which made his omission from the team to face Morocco in the World Cup opener such a surprise -- and a mistake.
In came Igor Thiago, a penalty area operator, and Brazil were short of cover behind Vini, leaving open the very space where Achraf Hakimi, Morocco's splendid right back, loves to charge forward. This was one of the root causes of Morocco's first-half dominance. Brazil looked far better once Cunha came on and they had the pitch covered.
Cunha's function has since changed as a consequence of the injury to Raphinha. Now Lucas Paquetá, the third midfielder, has more responsibility to cover the left flank. Cunha has moved up and infield, replacing Raphinha as the other out and out striker in the 4-4-2 -- but interpreting the role with more versatility.
He can be a No. 9. Or he can drop deeper like a No. 10, forming part of the midfield block and also making himself available for a pass between the lines. Or he can trade places with the big, left-footed right winger Rayan, successfully brought into the side after Raphinha was injured.
At times Rayan was up front with Vini -- the opening goal against Scotland, for example, with Cunha able to keep an eye on the space to the right.
The parts, then, are coming together -- and just at the right time. Ancelotti always saw the group phase as something of a phony war. His aim was to use these matches to find a blend in time for the serious business ahead.
With the exception of his backup goalkeepers and two reserve defenders, all the members of his squad have had an outing, and he appears to have a clear idea of his most effective team. He is where he wanted to be. But will it be good enough?
Brazil were able to find their feet in a very forgiving group. The jeopardy now is much bigger, the challenge is stiffer. Ancelotti will not make the mistake of underestimating Japan, Brazil's round of 32 opponents on Monday. In October, they beat his team 3-2.
Two goals up and apparently coasting, Brazil -- admittedly with a second-string defence -- collapsed in the second half against one of those extraordinary 20-minute spells that Japan can produce.
Japan's capacity to switch styles will concern Ancelotti, as will the speed with which they can move the ball. This will surely test a Brazil side who can at times look ponderous in midfield.
Brazil are favourites, although some back home are worried by the Japan team -- almost certainly for the first time.
Ancelotti, meanwhile, does not give the impression of being worried by anything. As far as he is concerned, it is all going to plan.