Brazil survived a major scare before edging Japan 2-1 in a dramatic 2026 World Cup knockout clash, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a 96th-minute winner to seal a place in the round of 16.
Japan looked set to pull off an upset after Kaishu Sano put them in front, but Brazil responded after the break through Casemiro, who levelled with a trademark header 11 minutes into the second half.
The result sends Brazil through to face either Ivory Coast or Norway in New York on July 5, with a quarter-final spot on the line.
Carlo Ancelotti had been widely expected to take Casemiro off at half-time, but instead opted to reshape Brazil’s system. The veteran midfielder then repaid that faith by turning the match around, going from a subdued first half to one of Brazil’s key figures after the restart.
Casemiro’s performance echoed the kind of impact he has made throughout his career: slow to ignite, but decisive when it mattered most.
Martinelli’s late strike then completed a comeback that kept Brazil’s title push alive.
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