Texas, June 29 -- Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu said that while his team were devastated by the defeat to Brazil, he believes the gap between the two sides is gradually closing.

He acknowledged Brazil remain a top-tier team but insisted Japan are steadily moving closer to that level and must continue improving to compete consistently at the highest stage.

Moriyasu stressed that gaining experience against elite opponents will be crucial for the growth of Japanese football, saying such matches will help develop the squad further.

He also revealed that he encouraged his players to approach the game with a reset mindset, urging them to play as if the score was 0-0 and focus on using defensive stability as a platform to launch attacks. ...