World Cup 2026 Corner: Martinelli the Hero as Brazil Beat Japan

 

Gabriel Martinelli's dramatic late winner sent Brazil into the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Japan. Carlo Ancelotti's side had to come from behind before securing a precious place among the tournament's final 16 teams.

 

Late Martinelli Goal Secures Brazil's Win Over Japan

Facing one of the tournament's dark horses, Brazil had no intention of taking things lightly and immediately launched into attack from kick-off. However, despite dominating the early stages, it was Japan who broke the deadlock through Kaishu Sano.

The Blue Samurai managed to protect their narrow 1-0 advantage until half-time, forcing Brazil to push even harder after the restart. Ancelotti's side came out with greater intensity in the second half, applying relentless pressure on Japan's defense.

Brazil's determination eventually paid off when Casemiro headed home the equalizer in the 56th minute, restoring his side's belief. Selecao continued searching for the winning goal and, after missing several clear-cut opportunities, finally found it through Gabriel Martinelli's dramatic late strike.

The Arsenal forward calmly finished off a perfectly weighted assist from Bruno Guimarães, who picked out Martinelli unmarked inside Japan's penalty area. There was not enough time for Hajime Moriyasu's men to respond as they had to accept another heartbreaking exit from the FIFA World Cup knockout stage.

Following the dramatic victory, Brazil will now face the winner of Ivory Coast versus Norway in the Round of 16.

Match Notes

Brazil

• Selecao started the match brightly but briefly lost their focus, allowing Japan to take the lead.
• Ancelotti's side improved their attacking intensity after the break, although they still need to stay more focused defensively, especially against quick counter-attacks.

Japan

• The Blue Samurai's impressive World Cup campaign came to an end after struggling to cope with Brazil's sustained second-half pressure.
• Overall, Japan performed admirably, but the absence of Kaoru Mitoma before the tournament and the loss of Takefusa Kubo during the competition made their task considerably more difficult.

 

🇧🇷 Brazil 2-1 Japan 🇯🇵

FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 32

Stat	Brazil	Japan
Possession	64%	36%
Total Shots (On Target)	22 (9)	8 (4)
Expected Goals (xG)	2.54	0.93
Dangerous Attacks	68	27
Yellow Cards	2	2
Red Cards	0	0