Brazil 2-1 Japan Analysis: Martinelli’s 95th-Minute Winner and Ancelotti’s Halftime Rescue
Brazil defeated Japan 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 on June 29, 2026 (EAT), with substitute Gabriel Martinelli striking in the 95th minute to complete a dramatic comeback and send the Samurai Blue home. Kaishu Sano’s 29th-minute opener had given Japan a deserved lead against the Group C winners, but Carlo Ancelotti’s halftime tactical intervention produced a second-half equalizer from Casemiro before Martinelli’s winner sealed the result. The victory advances Brazil to face the winner of Ivory Coast versus Norway in the Round of 16, though the narrow margin of victory exposed vulnerabilities that Hajime Moriyasu’s disciplined side exploited effectively until the final moments.
