Gabriel Martinelli's 96th-minute goal rescues Brazil from Japan upset in World Cup Round of 32

Soccer isn't played pinch nan aforesaid strict timepiece arsenic astir different sports, but Brazil came astir arsenic adjacent to a buzzer-beater arsenic nan athletics allows.

After a beautiful passing show from nan five-time World Cup champions, Gabriel Martinelli recovered nan backmost of nan nett successful nan 96th infinitesimal to springiness Brazil a 2-1 triumph complete Japan.

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Gabriel Martinelli of Brazil celebrates pinch teammates aft scoring nan team's 2nd extremity during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer against Japan astatine Houston Stadium. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)

Brazil entered Monday's Round of 32 lucifer against Japan arsenic dense favorites to advance, but it was nan Japanese who struck first. Kaishu Sano scored for Japan, a squad that vanished 2nd successful Group F aft drafting nan Netherlands and Sweden and beating Tunisia 4-0, truthful this was hardly an overmatched force contempt nan monolithic quality successful World Cup history.

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The extremity came from a Brazil correction adjacent midfield. Sano picked disconnected a misplaced pass, carried nan shot himself and ripped a right-footed changeable from conscionable extracurricular nan container past Alisson to springiness Japan a shocking lead successful nan 29th minute.

Brazil controlled nan action successful nan 2nd half and it felt for illustration an equalizer was imminent. That turned retired to beryllium nan case, arsenic Casemiro tied nan crippled connected a header from wrong nan container conscionable complete 10 minutes into nan 2nd half.

Supporters of Brazil observe during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer betwixt Brazil and Japan astatine Houston Stadium. (Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi Images)

Casemiro astir tied it 2 minutes earlier, but he didn’t discarded his adjacent chance. Gabriel Magalhães sent a shot into nan box, and Casemiro put his header conscionable retired of nan scope of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to yet break through.

Brazil astir took nan lead almost immediately. Vinícius Júnior, who has been 1 of nan stars of nan tournament for Brazil, sewage loose connected nan near broadside of nan container successful nan 58th minute, but Suzuki sewage capable of nan changeable to nonstop it disconnected nan acold post.

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Gabriel Martinelli, who came connected successful nan 2nd half, yet delivered nan infinitesimal Brazil spent almost nan full lucifer chasing. He received nan shot wrong nan near channel, took a touch and calmly sent a debased changeable disconnected nan acold post.

Japanese players respond aft losing to Brazil during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer astatine Houston Stadium. (Sean M. Haffey/FIFA)

Brazil continued to power play passim nan 2nd half, but conscionable couldn't get nan go-ahead extremity into nan net. That changed astatine nan very end, erstwhile Brazil sewage nan extremity it needed to beforehand to nan Round of 16.

Brazil now awaits nan victor of Ivory Coast-Norway for its Round of 16 opponent. Japan, meanwhile, still couldn’t find its first World Cup knockout-stage victory, but it made nan five-time champions sweat until nan last seconds.