Brazil booked their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup after staging a dramatic comeback to beat Japan 2-1, with Gabriel Martinelli netting a stoppage-time winner to seal the victory.
Japan had looked on course for a famous upset after Kaishu Sano gave the Samurai Blue the lead in the 29th minute with a brilliant strike from outside the box. Their disciplined defending and the outstanding goalkeeping of Zion Suzuki kept Brazil at bay for much of the contest.
The South Americans responded with greater intensity after the restart and restored parity in the 56th minute. Captain Casemiro rose to head home from close range after Gabriel’s dangerous delivery unsettled the Japanese defence, shifting the momentum in Brazil’s favour.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti made a key substitution by introducing Gabriel Martinelli in the second half, and the Arsenal forward delivered in dramatic fashion. Deep into stoppage time, he ran onto a perfectly timed pass from Bruno Guimaraes before calmly guiding his effort in off the post to complete the turnaround.
The victory was not without setbacks for Brazil, as both Lucas Paqueta and Casemiro were forced off with injuries. Japan, however, continued to fight until the final whistle and came close to pulling off one of the biggest shocks of the tournament.
Martinelli’s late heroics secured Brazil’s place in the Round of 16, keeping the five-time champions on course in their pursuit of a record-extending sixth FIFA World Cup title.
