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Soccer isn’t played with the same strict clock as most other sports, but Brazil came about as close to a buzzer-beater as the sport allows.
After a beautiful passing display from the five-time World Cup champions, Gabriel Martinelli found the back of the net in the 96th minute to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over Japan.
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Gabriel Martinelli of Brazil celebrates with teammates after scoring the team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match against Japan at Houston Stadium. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)
Brazil entered Monday’s Round of 32 match against Japan as heavy favorites to advance, but it was the Japanese who struck first. Kaishu Sano scored for Japan, a team that finished second in Group F after drawing the Netherlands and Sweden and beating Tunisia 4-0, so this was hardly an overmatched opponent despite the massive difference in World Cup history.
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The goal came from a Brazil mistake near midfield. Sano picked off a misplaced pass, carried the ball himself and ripped a right-footed shot from just outside the box past Alisson to give Japan a shocking lead in the 29th minute.
Brazil controlled the action in the second half and it felt like an equalizer was imminent. That turned out to be the case, as Casemiro tied the game on a header from inside the box just over ten minutes into the second half.
Supporters of Brazil celebrate during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan at Houston Stadium. (Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi Images)
Casemiro nearly tied it two minutes earlier, but he didn’t waste his next chance. Gabriel Magalhães sent a ball into the box, and Casemiro put his header just out of the reach of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to finally break through.
Brazil nearly took the lead almost immediately. Vinícius Júnior, who has been one of the stars of the tournament for Brazil, got loose on the left side of the box in the 58th minute, but Suzuki got enough of the shot to send it off the far post.
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Gabriel Martinelli, who came on in the second half, eventually delivered the moment Brazil spent almost the entire match chasing. He received the ball inside the left channel, took a touch and calmly sent a low shot off the far post.
Japanese players react after losing to Brazil during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match at Houston Stadium. (Sean M. Haffey/FIFA)
Brazil continued to control play throughout the second half, but just couldn’t get the go-ahead goal into the net. That changed at the very end, when Brazil got the goal it needed to advance to the Round of 16.
Brazil now awaits the winner 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 the five-time champions sweat until the final seconds.