Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 9, 2016 - As Brazil and Japan meet on the second day of the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix 2016 Group 1 tournament in Rio de Janeiro, they will face each other for a record 39th time in the competition. While both teams gained 3-point victories on day 1, their head-to-head record is heavily unbalanced in favour of Brazil.
Head-to-Head
• These teams have met each other a record 38 times at the World Grand Prix. Brazil won 34 matches, Japan four.
• Brazil - China (35) is the next most common fixture at the tournament.
• Brazil have only lost one of their last 24 World Grand Prix matches against Japan. That loss came back on 25 August 2010, 3-2 (13-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 15-13).
• Three of Japan's four wins against Brazil were five-setters. Only once did they beat them in straight sets, on 5 August 2001.
• Brazil have beaten Japan 19 times in straight sets.
Brazil
• Brazil can win seven successive matches in major competitions, since a 3-0 defeat against USA at the 2015 World Grand Prix.
• The last time Brazil did not win their first two World Grand Prix matches was in 2001, when they won 3-2 against Cuba before a 3-2 loss against China in the second match.
• Natalia Pereira (16) and Sheilla Castro De Paula Blassioli (15) were top scorers for Brazil in the 3-1 win against Italy on Thursday.
• Fabiana Claudino scored seven points from blocks against Italy.
Japan
• Japan ended a five-match losing streak at the World Grand Prix by beating Serbia 3-0.
• If Japan cause an upset and beat Brazil, they will win two World Grand Prix matches in a row for the first time since successive victories against Thailand and Serbia in 2015.
• The previous year in which Japan began their World Grand Prix campaign with two wins was 2013.
• Sarina Koga scored 20 points against Serbia, 16 from spikes.