Brazil 2-1 Japan: First knockout comeback since 2002 has Ancelotti's fingerprints all over it

Brazil fought to the precise extremity and came distant with a hard-fought spot successful the past 16 of the 2026 World Cup connected Monday. In Houston, Japan took the pb aft immoderate mediocre antiaircraft errors from the Selecao, but Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli shone to implicit a singular turnaround — the archetypal clip Brazil person overturned a shortage successful a World Cup knockout lucifer since 2002, the twelvemonth of their 5th title.

The Samurai Blue opened the scoring courtesy of mistakes by Danilo successful possession and Casemiro successful his antiaircraft positioning, giving Kaishu Sano the abstraction to nutrient a infinitesimal of quality. In the 2nd half, however, Casemiro made amends by converting Gabriel Magalhaes' transverse astatine the backmost post. Then, astir successful the last minute, Bruno Guimaraes recovered Martinelli, who finished to seal the win.

?? Brazil person qualified for the Round of 16!#FIFAWorldCup

Brazil secured their transition to the past 16 done a bold tactical accommodation by Carlo Ancelotti, further underscoring the spot of enactment being done with the nationalist team.

Brazil 1-2 Japan: How the lucifer unfolded

Brazil made a affirmative start. Within the archetypal 14 minutes, they had attempted 4 shots. Two deflected efforts caused information — 1 from Bruno Guimaraes struck the broadside netting, portion different from Matheus Cunha forced a prevention from Zion Suzuki.

However, Brazil grew frustrated with Japan's compact antiaircraft artifact and began to suffer their rhythm. During the cooling break, the Japanese grew much assertive successful pressing Brazil's build-up play and took the lead. The closing stages of the archetypal fractional were marked by nerves from the Brazilian broadside and precise small successful the mode of genuine threat.

The second-half effect was 1 of sustained pressure. Several crosses into the container created opportunities: Guimaraes forced a stunning prevention from Suzuki with a header, and Casemiro had an effort cleared disconnected the enactment by Takehiro Tomiyasu conscionable earlier his equaliser. Once ahead, Vinicius Junior astir produced the extremity of the tourney — collecting the shot successful midfield, executing a nutmeg, carrying it each the mode to the area, beating different defender and past forcing a superb halt from the Japanese goalkeeper.

A precocious extremity sees Brazil into the adjacent round! ??#FIFAWorldCup

After the cooling break, Brazil were little ascendant but inactive managed to find the winning extremity successful the 90th minute. A deserved result fixed the precocious intensity.

Brazil's press-and-win look works again

Once again, Brazil won done sheer intensity. After 5 minutes of stoppage time, Rayan — who had played the full lucifer — inactive had the vigor to bargain possession and find Martinelli, who buried the chance.

Martinelli's introduction, incidentally, came successful unexpected fashion. Ancelotti moved him to the near midfield relation — the aforesaid presumption helium occupied successful the lucifer against Scotland — coming connected for Matheus Cunha. He caused problems with efforts from extracurricular the country and, erstwhile the infinitesimal came, helium scored.

Brazil are done to the past 16 and volition look the victor of the necktie betwixt Norway and Senegal.