BRISBANE, Queensland - Lambasted at home after coming within seconds of slumping to defeat against Australia, Brazil are expected to raise their intensity in Tuesday's return fixture in Brisbane. But with his eyes firmly set on next January's Asian Cup, Tony Popovic is likewise challenging the Socceroos to lift their level if they want to claim a famous victory.
Placed in a 1-0 deficit by Nestory Irankunda's stunning 68th-minute free kick, Rayan's 95th-minute equaliser spared Carlo Ancelotti and the Seleção what would have just been a second-ever defeat to Australia in Townsville last Friday, their first game since they crashed out of the FIFA World Cup in the Round of 16 against Norway.
Reaction to the draw has been unkind in Brazil, with the football-mad nation already experiencing a period of soul-searching as they grapple with a World Cup drought that is now guaranteed to stretch to at least 28 years and perceptions that their standing in global football is diminishing.
Former World Cup winner Denilson said the performance left a "bad impression"; commentator Galvão Bueno called it "disappointing, frustrating" and a "disgrace"; and veteran journalist Milton Neves wrote that Ancelotti needed to be held accountable for a last-gasp draw against a "technically far inferior opponent."
"We are pleased with how we played, disappointed that we conceded so late off a set play," Popovic said on Monday. "We got what we expected from Brazil. They're very dangerous, top-quality players.
"Whether they can lift again and put in a better performance, I feel that we will have to be better than what we were to be able to get a result in the next match.
"That's taking nothing away from what we did; it was a very good performance. But we should also look to see what areas we can improve in. It's all the little details that make the difference. Unfortunately, the little detail at the end cost us a famous victory, but maybe on Tuesday we can try and put that right."
Stating that the clashes with a high-powered opponent like Brazil were all about preparing his side for the challenges of the Asian Cup, Popovic said that the task of backing up Townsville's performance and improving on it just four days later presented a "wonderful" challenge for his side.
"The first game was a great experience," he said. "When you think of what we played at the World Cup, we finished with Egypt, and then your next match is Brazil. We wanted to compete; we wanted to show that we can compete with such a strong nation. And we did compete well.
"What we don't have yet, that Brazil has with their players, is that we're not accustomed to playing top-level opposition every four days. Our players are not at that level yet. We don't have players playing regularly in the Champions League or in the top leagues where you're playing every four days, 60 games a year.
"This is a great test for us to see: can we back up physically? Can we back up mentally? Can we back up the quality that we showed with and without the ball? That's why we're playing Brazil, and we're delighted that they came to Australia to give us this huge test."
One of only three players in the squad who was also present the last time Australia played Brazil in 2017, and its only member who was also part of the Socceroo side that won the Asian Cup in 2015, defender Aziz Behich, for his part, said he felt the trajectory of the current squad has left them well-placed to challenge for continental glory come January.
"Look, we've done it before, so there's no reason why we can't," Behich said. "It's not going to be easy, away from home this time around, but this group ceiling is very high. We showed that in the World Cup, and we showed that the other night. So I don't see why there's any reason why we can't say that we want to win it."