Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan in Houston, on June 29, 2026
| Photo Credit: AP
For nearly an hour here, Brazil stood on the brink of yet another World Cup heartbreak.Japan had silenced the yellow wall, bent the rhythm of the match to its own courage and left the five-time champion searching for answers. Then Brazil summoned the quality that has defined it for generations.Brazil vs Japan, FIFA World Cup HighlightsAt the NRG Stadium on Monday (June 29, 2026), Carlo Ancelotti’s side survived a major scare to beat Japan 2-1 and book its place in the World Cup round of 16, with Gabriel Martinelli striking late after Casemiro had cancelled out Kaishu Sano’s stunning first-half opener.For 28 minutes, Japan’s supporters had been drowned out by a sea of yellow. In the 29th, they found their voice.Sano seized possession in midfield and embarked on a dazzling run through the centre. He skipped past Casemiro and surged between two more Brazilian defenders before calmly guiding his finish beyond the outstretched Alisson Becker. The few thousand clad in blue erupted, while the rest of the stadium had suddenly lost its voice.
