Leighton James
Former Wales winger on BBC One Wales

I think there’s a great danger that Wales will get sucked into playing a Brazilian type of game.

In that respect, I think they’ll come very badly second.

Another half chance for Mark Hughes.

Wales made a bit of a hash of a freekick, it seemed like one off the training ground, I'm just not sure what training ground.

However, the fact Wales don't really seem to know what they were trying to do only confuses the Brazilians who at best half clear the ball, which allows Mark Hughes another bite at it. His ferocious shot is blocked by Cleber and Claudio Taffarel is able to claim the ball.

Leighton James
Former Wales winger on BBC One Wales

I think Mark Hughes should have just set that up for somebody else from there.

Mark’s like that, he’s likely to score miraculous goals like that.

But he can be very frustrating to play with.

That's some samba stuff from Wales as the ball goes from Neville Southall down the other end, but via some lovely build-up, rather than a booming kick.

At the centre of things is Gary Speed, who first wins a foul to begin the attack which eventually culminates in his sending in a testing cross.

Mark Hughes' acrobatic effort sails harmlessly wide, but no wonder the fans sounded their appreciation. That was a lovely move.

Another half chance for Brazil, this time Wales don't help themselves with some less than alert defending, but once again, or should we say as ever, Neville Southall is alert to the danger and he comes out and claims the loose ball.

We think this every week too Evan!

Brazil may have disappointed with a second-round exit at the 1990 World Cup but this team in Cardiff would go on to achieve greatness by lifting the Jules Rimet trophy at the next attempt.

The Brazilian starting line-up against Wales included several members of the team which won the 1994 World Cup in the United States, including Taffarel, Mauro Silva, Marcio Santos

There was also a young right-back called Cafu, less than a year into his 142-cap international career. More on him in a bit.

Image source, Getty Images

A first corner in the contest and it is for Wales, after the visitors looked pretty uncomfortable dealing with a Gary Speed free-kick.but Marcio Santos just cleared before Andy Melville can connect at the back post.

Wales can't make anything of the set-piece, however.

Some really nice build-up play from Brazil and again they work the ball to Joao Paulo, but this time he shoots wide. The Brazilian front three, it goes without saying, are dangerous.

It has been a quiet opening here at the National Stadium but that's a first little sniff at goal for the visitors, but Joao Paulo can't quite control the loose ball and Neville Southall is quickly out to eliminate the danger.

Image source, BBC Sport

There’s a samba band in the house!

No match involving Brazil would be complete without yellow shirts, flamboyant skills and copious references to samba.

Well, aside from the metaphorical samba football there is literal samba from the stands, with Brazil’s travelling supporters bringing with them the instruments to produce the sweet sounds heard more often on the Copacabana beach than the terraces of Cardiff’s National Stadium.

A first touch for the record-breaker and Neville Southall booms a goalkick all the way to the edge of the Brazilian box, but they clear fairly comfortably.

Wales and Brazil at the National Stadium. Two of the loveliest football kits you'll ever see. Shiny new floodlights. What more could we want?

Wales starting on the front foot, that's what. Mark Hughes is lively already.

Referee Emilio Soriano Aladren from Spain blows his whistle and we are under way here at the National Stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

By winning his 53rd cap in this match, Neville Southall surpassed Dai Davies’ record for a Wales goalkeeper.

Southall would go on to set a new record for Wales players overall, ending his legendary career with 92 international appearances to his name.

That landmark stood for some time, until right-back Chris Gunter broke it in 2018.

Image source, BBC Sport

Wales are at a good moment in their footballing history, but Brazil are not and caretaker boss Ernesto Paulo names an experimental side for what is expected to be his only game in charge of the three-time World Cup winners who have now gone 21 years since lifting the Jules Rimet trophy.

Few people think Brazil can improve on that record at World Cup 1994 in the US and Brazil's latest World Cup cycle got off to a bad start with a lacklustre display in the Copa America tournament won by Argentina.

Brazil's policy of leaving out players playing overseas has not been working and they recall striker Careca tonight, playing for the first time since the 1990 World Cup.

Jorginho also returns to the side, with the Bayer Leverkusen right-back playing on the left to accommodate Cafu, the exciting 21-year-old Sao Paulo defender who many feel could be a future star.

Fiorentina midfielder Dunga and hotshot PSV striker Romario are both unavailable with injury.

Image source, BBC Sport

Wales are without three of their starters from their famous win over Germany last time out that leaves Wales as favourites with the bookmakers to reach Euro 92.

Striker Ian Rush and right wing-back David Phillips are injured, so young Luton midfielder Mark Pembridge, nominally a left-sided midfielder, gets a chance to shine at right wing-back.

Mark Hughes pushes further forward to partner Dean Saunders in attack and, in the absence of the suspended Peter Nicholas, Sunderland midfielder Colin Pascoe and Leeds' Gary Speed complete a revamped midfield trio with Barry Horne.

Clayton Blackmore and Eric Young are also unavailable through suspension and injury respectively, so Paul Bodin and Andy Melville retain their places, while Neville Southall becomes Wales' most capped goalkeeper.

Rob Phillips
BBC Wales Football Correspondent

Exactly 99 days ago, Wales shocked a football super power by deservedly beating Germany on a memorable night in Cardiff.

Now they have a chance to achieve a scarcely believable double by taking down soccer’s samba kings, Brazil.

Okay this may not be the silky skilled Brazilian outfit in the mode of some of their predecessors. They are a squad in transition.

But any team which boasts powerhouse striker Careca cannot be underestimated. Brazil also have expectations of young full-back Cafu, too.

And, anyway, Wales will not have Ian Rush available as they look for a first ever win over Brazil after six attempts so far starting in 1958, when young Pele ended this nation’s World Cup dreams, in Sweden.

A return against the Germans in Nuremburg is on the horizon next month. That’s the main goal.

But a good result against Brazil would be a great way to warm up for the big one.

Image source, Getty Images

If there was a time when Wales were ever going to claim a first win over Brazil, this was it.

When this fixture took place in September 1991, Terry Yorath's men were flying.

Three months earlier, Ian Rush's goal had given them a 1-0 win over Germany at a bouncing National Stadium in Cardiff.

That put Wales three points clear at the top of their Euro 1992 qualifying group, fuelling hope that they could reach a major tournament for the first time since the 1958 World Cup.

By contrast, the mighty, then-three-time world champions Brazil were in something of a slump.

With Ernesto Paulo in charge temporarily, the South Americans were aiming to recover from their second-round exit at the 1990 World Cup and rejuvenate themselves ahead of the 1994 tournament in the United States.