Japan’s match ended in heartbreak as Brazil scored the winner in the 96th minute
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Soccer is not played with a tight clock like many other sports, but Brazil got as close to the striker as the game allowed.
After a great pass by the five-time World Cup champion, Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 96th minute to give Brazil a 2-1 win over Japan.
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Brazil’s Gabriel Martinelli celebrates with his teammates after scoring the team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match against Japan at Houston Stadium. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)
Brazil entered Monday’s match in the Round of 32 against Japan as favorites to progress, but it was the Japanese who struck first. Kaishu Sano scored for Japan, who finished second in Group F after drawing with the Netherlands and Sweden and thrashing Tunisia 4-0, so they were by no means the most formidable foes despite the biggest difference in World Cup history.
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The goal came from a mistake by Brazil close to the pitch. Sano picked a pass, picked up the ball and ripped a shot from the right just outside the box past Alisson to give Japan a shock lead in the 29th minute.
Brazil controlled the game in the second half and it felt like an equalizer was on the way. And so it was, as Casemiro tied the game with a header inside the box just ten minutes into the second half.
Brazil supporters celebrate during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan at Houston Stadium. (Photos by Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi)
Casemiro almost tied it two minutes earlier, but he didn’t waste his next chance. Gabriel Magalhães sent the ball into the box, and Casemiro put his header beyond the reach of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to finally break through.
Brazil took the lead almost immediately. Vinícius Júnior, who has been one of the stars of the tournament for Brazil, broke loose on the left side of the box in the 58th minute, but Suzuki got enough of the shot to deflect it off the far post.
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Gabriel Martinelli, who came on in the second half, finally gave away the moment Brazil spent almost the entire game chasing. He found the ball inside the left channel, shook it and calmly sent a low shot at the far post.
Japan’s players react after losing to Brazil during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match at Houston Stadium. (Sean M. Haffey/FIFA)
Brazil continued to control the game during the second half, but failed to find the go-ahead goal. That changed in the end, when Brazil got the goal they needed to advance to the Round of 16.
Brazil now await the winner of Ivory Coast-Norway in their Round of 16 match. Japan, on the other hand, was yet to get its first win in the knockout stage, but the five-time champions were sweating it out until the final seconds.
