Martinelli's stoppage-time strike rescues Brazil from Japan upset at World Cup 2026

Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time finish rescued Brazil from a stunning World Cup exit as the five-time champions came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in Houston and advance to the last 16.

Kaishu Sano gave Japan a deserved lead on 30 minutes, capitalising on a loose ball from Danilo to drive low past Alisson and silence a Brazilian side that had dominated possession without creating anything of substance. It was the kind of shock the tournament had been waiting for — Japan’s only previous win over Brazil had come just last October, when they overturned a two-goal deficit to win 3-2.

Carlo Ancelotti, who had signed a new contract before the tournament began, needed a response at half-time. He introduced Endrick, but it was Casemiro who dragged Brazil level, planting a firm header past Zion Suzuki from Gabriel’s cross after an earlier effort had been blocked on the line by a combination of Suzuki, Hiroki Ito and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Japan held firm and came close to forcing extra time, with Suzuki producing a world-class save to tip a Vinicius Jr effort onto the post. But with the clock running out, Bruno Guimaraes threaded a sublime pass through to Martinelli, who buried his shot off the post and over the line to send Brazil through and leave Japan heartbroken.

The result keeps alive Brazil’s hopes of ending a 23-year wait for a sixth World Cup title, though Ancelotti will know his side’s performance offered little comfort. A team of this stature should not be relying on a substitute’s late intervention to see off opponents ranked far below them, and the questions about Brazil’s attacking fluency will only grow louder as the knockout rounds approach.

For Japan, there is no shame in the defeat. They pushed one of football’s great nations to the brink and, on another night, might have pulled off one of the competition’s all-time upsets.