HOUSTON - Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.
Japan had taken five-time champions Brazil to the brink after Kaishu Sano stunned the South American side with a 29th-minute opener, but Casemiro equalized in the 56th minute before Martinelli struck at the death to send Brazil through.
The late winner came after Brazil had spent much of the second half pressing for a breakthrough. Japan defended with discipline and desperation, surviving repeated attacks from Vinicius Jr, Endrick, Rayan and Martinelli as the match entered six minutes of stoppage time still level at 1-1.
Martinelli’s decisive strike completed Brazil’s comeback and denied Japan the chance to take the match into extra time. The goal came after a sustained spell of Brazilian pressure, with Japan forced deep into their own half as the five-time champions searched for a way through.
Japan had briefly threatened in stoppage time when Yukinari Sugawara got the better of Santos on the right and sent a ball into the box, but a Brazilian defender connected first and cleared the danger. Moments later, Casemiro went down and required treatment before Brazil found the decisive breakthrough.
Sano’s first-half goal had given Japan hope of one of the biggest wins in the country’s football history. The midfielder drove Japan into the lead in the 29th minute after breaking through the Brazilian defense, briefly putting Hajime Moriyasu’s side on course for a famous knockout-stage victory.
Brazil, however, gradually regained control and equalized in the 56th minute through Casemiro. The goal changed the rhythm of the match, with Brazil increasingly dominating possession and forcing Japan deeper into their own half.
The closing stages became a severe test of Japan’s endurance. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was booked for a wild late challenge on Danilo as the Brazilian defender sped down the right toward the edge of the penalty area. Soon afterward, a ball in from Rayan deflected off a Japanese head and went behind for a corner, but Japan survived as the set piece came to nothing.
Brazil had appeared to lose some of their spark earlier in the second half, with Vinicius Jr dispossessed twice in quick succession on the left wing as Japan’s defenders closed down space and denied him a clean route into the box. Rayan also went down near the edge of the area after trying to reach a long ball from Casemiro under pressure from Suzuki, but the referee waved play on.
The pressure intensified in the final 20 minutes. Martinelli snatched at a shot after Japan cleared a Santos cross only as far as the Brazilian forward, sending his effort wide of the right post. Endrick also wasted a promising opening when he overhit a pass intended for Martinelli after being picked out by Vinicius Jr, allowing Japan to escape another dangerous moment.
Brazil continued to threaten around the 75th minute when Endrick danced away from several Japanese players and found Vinicius Jr wide on the left. Vinicius cut into the box onto his right foot but misplaced his pass, allowing Japan to clear. Soon afterward, Gabriel delivered a deep cross to the back post, where Rayan met it with a header that took a touch off Junnosuke Suzuki and went behind for a corner. Japan again defended stoutly and forced Brazil back.
Japan’s clearest chance of the second half came in the 65th minute, when Ayase Ueda found space on the left and drove a shot at Alisson. The Brazil goalkeeper spilled the effort but recovered quickly to claim the ball before Japan could follow up.
Brazil also appealed for a penalty in the 68th minute when Casemiro lofted a ball into the box for Endrick, who went down under pressure from Takehiro Tomiyasu as he tried to meet it with his head. The referee waved play on, and the match soon paused for a hydration break before Brazil resumed their search for a winner.
Moriyasu turned to his bench as Brazil’s pressure increased. Keito Nakamura and Ritsu Doan were replaced by Junnosuke Suzuki and Sugawara in the 66th minute, while Junya Ito and Daichi Kamada later made way for Shuto Machino and Ao Tanaka in the 78th minute. The changes reflected Japan’s need for fresh legs as Brazil continued to dominate possession and stretch the defense.
The match had begun as a test of Japan’s ability to withstand one of world football’s most powerful attacking units. Brazil entered the game after opening the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Morocco, then beating Haiti 3-0 and Scotland 3-0 to finish top of Group C. Japan advanced from Group F after draws with the Netherlands and Sweden and a win over Tunisia, reinforcing their status as one of Asia’s strongest performers at the tournament.
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti kept the same starting lineup that beat Scotland 3-0 in the final group match, while Japan made four changes and shifted to a five-man defensive shape. Japan started Suzuki in goal, with Hiroki Ito, Shogo Taniguchi and Tomiyasu anchoring the back line, and Sano, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Junya Ito, Keito Nakamura, Daizen Maeda and Ueda used across midfield and attack.
Brazil will advance to face either Ivory Coast or Norway in the Round of 16 on July 5. For Japan, the defeat was a painful end to a campaign that again showed the country’s ability to compete with elite opposition, but Martinelli’s last-gasp winner left the Samurai Blue with only seconds separating them from extra time against the five-time champions.
