FIFA World Cup 2026: Martinelli's 96th-minute stunner rescues Brazil, shocks Japan in thriller
Texas, June 30
Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic 96th-minute winner as Brazil mounted a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Japan 2-1, securing a hard-fought ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 in front of a packed stadium on Monday.
Japan stunned the five-time world champions in the first half when Kaishu Sano intercepted a loose ball deep inside his own half. Sano embarked on a brilliant 40-yard solo sprint before drilling a fierce strike past Alisson to make it 1-0.
After a frustrating first half where Japan's Zion Suzuki remained largely untroubled, Brazil intensified the pressure. Gabriel Magalhaes curled a precise cross toward the back post, allowing veteran midfielder Casemiro to rise highest and power a header home, levelling the game at 1-1.
With the match looking destined for extra time, Danilo won the ball back deep in transition, finding Endrick. The youngster smartly laid it off for Bruno Guimaraes, who slid a perfect pass to an unmarked Gabriel Martinelli inside the box. Martinelli took a composed touch and slotted it into the far corner, squeezing it past a desperate Suzuki to seal the 2-1 victory.
Brazil advances to the Round of 16, where they will face either Ivory Coast or Norway on July 5 at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
While this Round of 32 clash in the expanded 2026 format produced an instant classic, matchups between these two nations on football's grandest stage are exceedingly rare.
Before this 2026 encounter, Brazil and Japan had faced each other only once in FIFA World Cup history: Germany 2006. Much like the 2026 match, Japan actually took a surprise lead via Keiji Tamada in the 34th minute. However, a star-studded Selecão stormed back with a brace from Ronaldo, alongside goals from Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto to secure a comfortable 4-1 victory.
History heavily favours Brazil in this matchup. Across 15 meetings, the Selecao have won 12, with 2 draws and just a single loss. But that one defeat looms large. Months before this tournament, Japan pulled off a stunning 3-2 friendly win in Tokyo -- their first ever against the South Americans.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, as an Indian football fan, I watch matches like this and feel both amazed and sad. Brazil's recovery is legendary, but Japan's discipline and technical ability is something we can only dream of. That 40-yard solo run by Sano was beautiful football. Someday maybe we'll have our own moment on the world stage. 🇮🇳⚽
Martinelli is on fire this season! Brazil's attacking depth is scary — even without Neymar, they have Endrick, Vinicius, and Martinelli coming off the bench. Japan played brilliantly though; that first half was top-level defense. The 2006 comparison in the article is spot on — Japan always start strong but Brazil's experience shows.
I know Brazil won, but Japan deserves mad respect. They didn't just park the bus — they attacked with purpose. That Sano goal was a beauty. And it's true that India can learn a ton from Japan's football development system. Even a friendly against Japan would be a huge learning experience for our boys. Koi toh chance do unhe!
Great match! The crowd in Texas must have been electric. Martinelli's composure in the box was incredible — he took that touch like he had all the time in the world. But I feel for Japan, they deserved at least extra time after that performance. Brazil vs Norway/Ivory Coast should be a cracker next round!
One thing that strikes me: Japan has only 125 million people and they compete with Brazil on the world stage. India has 1.4 billion and we can't even
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.