Brazil breaks Japanese hearts with a late goal. How did Carlo Ancelotti turn things around?

Brazil breathes a sigh of relief. The five-time world champions were in danger of suffering one of the worst World Cup exits in history after falling behind to Japan in Houston. Carlo Ancelotti's side had a lackluster first half, but an inspired fightback – capped by goals from Casemiro and a last-minute goal from Gabriel Martinelli – sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory and secured a place in the last 16, where they will face either Norway or Ivory Coast. Here, The Athletic experts analyze the main points of the match.

How can this be big for Brazil? The score seemed tight, but Brazil deserved the victory over Japan and progression to the round of 16 much more. If Brazil had been eliminated, it would undoubtedly be their worst World Cup performance — if not their most traumatic, considering the 2014 semi-final — since 1966, when they exited in the group stage. At that time, there were only 16 teams, so while it is difficult to compare tournaments, not advancing to the round of 16 here would be a significant blow. Would it have made it seem like the bet on a non-Brazilian coach, Carlo Ancelotti, wasn't worth it: they exchanged their traditions... for that? But, as it stands, they are classified, and this match showed why they brought in Ancelotti, after a chaotic sequence of national coaches who failed to make sense of this team. The pressure on any Brazilian team or coach is always surprising. But, as always, Ancelotti was the coolest head in Houston.

Can this team win it all? Before the game, Ancelotti said that there is no clear favorite: of course, he is right, once again. How did Martinelli stand out? Gabriel Martinelli became a key player at Arsenal and has now transferred that skill to world football's biggest stage. Over the years in London, he scored crucial goals, both to win and draw, against Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and more. His only Premier League goal last season, against Manchester City, was crucial as it earned Arsenal a point at a time that could have made their quest for the title even more difficult. Now in North America, the most interesting aspect of Martinelli's participation was his position. From the moment Carlo Ancelotti called on the 25-year-old, he positioned himself more centrally than he usually does at Arsenal. With Brazil crossing balls into the box, he was well positioned to apply a finishing touch at some point. For him to be available in a central position at the end of extra time would not have been a surprise for the Brazilian coach. Brazil may not have convinced in the first half, but the reaction after the break and Martinelli's position were vital to avoid a surprise.


How did Suzuki and Japan stop Vinícius Jr? Japan were excellent all over the field in the first half, but one of the main objectives in their 32nd-of-32 match would be to stop Vinícius Junior, Brazil's main attacking threat. The 25-year-old had already scored four goals in his first three matches, but the Brazilian number seven was frustrated by Japan before the break as his team struggled to break down an incredibly disciplined 5-4-1 defense. Positioning himself between Ritsu Doan (right wing) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (right defender) in the first45 minutes, Vinícius Jr failed to receive the ball in a dangerous area — often trying to position himself to receive deep passes instead of receiving the ball from the sides and advancing. As Brazil rarely deployed five players in Japan's back line to match their players, Doan and Tomiyasu were able to take turns advancing and closing down Vinícius Jr whenever he tried to threaten. With space at a premium, this forced a frustrated Vinícius Jr to drop down occasionally and more centrally to get involved in the game — albeit from a much less threatening position on the pitch. As the game opened up in the second half following Ancelotti's tactical change, Vinícius Jr began to enjoy himself - taking up a more traditional role on the wing to run towards Doan from the touchline. The highlight was an incredible run that went past Tomiyasu and turned Kaishu Sano inside out, before a shot aimed at the far corner was superbly saved by Zion Suzuki — who deflected the ball onto the post. Competing in his first World Cup for Japan, Suzuki had an excellent summer, returning to play in an international tournament in the country of his birth — having been born in New Jersey to a Ghanaian father and Japanese mother. He managed to touch Gabriel Martinelli's finish in the final moments, but was unable to prevent Brazil's comeback from being completed. Vinícius Jr's battles with Japan's defenders and goalkeeper did not cease throughout the match, but the Brazilian's persistence paid off after a frustrating first half.

How did Japan overcome Brazil in the first half? If there was one moment that encapsulated the difference between Brazil and Japan in the first half, it was the one-minute spell that led to Kaishu Sano's opening goal. While Brazil's midfield looked tired, with a 34-year-old Casemiro seemingly stuck in time as he chased the goalscorer, Japan's bravery and fitness created the moment. Casemiro's early yellow card for a foul just outside Brazil's box may have contributed to his reluctance to bring down Sano, but this is not the first time he has failed to keep up with an opposing midfielder who has come on strong in recent years. Most of the attention will focus on Sano intercepting a loose pass from Danilo and advancing towards Casemiro as if he wasn't there, but the traps Japan set moments earlier deserve credit. Just a minute before Sano scored, Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson was on the ball looking for passing options. Not only Japan's three forwards, but also the bench of four behind them chose the right moment to press high, forcing Brazil to take a shot. Even though Japan didn't maintain possession after Brazil's shot, the chaos that ensued left the game open and Sano was perfectly positioned to take advantage. Sano's race against Casemiro should not come as a surprise as he was third in the Bundesliga for distance covered last season with 401.1km. From a Brazilian perspective, age always seemed like it could hurt them this summer. Gabriel was Brazil's youngest defender against Japan (aged 28) alongside Danilo (34), Marquinhos (32) and Douglas Santos (32). But what Casemiro lacked in legs, he certainly made up for with his head. Manchester United midfielder scored more headers than any playerin the Premier League last season (eight — Virgil van Dijk was second with five) and was perfectly positioned at the back post for Gabriel's cross. Brazil could miss him in the round of 16 if the injury that forced him out in the closing stages proves serious.

What did Ancelotti do to reverse the situation? There had been a significant clamor for Endrick to be called up to this Brazil squad since the start of the World Cup, but it seemed like a big gamble for Ancelotti to bring him in in place of the injured Lucas Paquetá at half-time. Brazil had been outclassed in midfield at times in the first half, as Art de Roche highlighted above, so introducing a striker instead of a midfielder and effectively switching to a 4-2-4 system could have been asking for trouble. Instead, it proved to be an inspired move. Brazil's two wingers, Vinícius Jr and Rayan, remained glued to the touchline, and although their instinct with the ball was to move inside, this stretched the game, made Japan's incessant pressure less effective and created more crossing opportunities. They came close to scoring in one of the great box-office mix-ups of the World Cup and then equalized when one of those crosses, from the somewhat unlikely source of Gabriel, was headed home by Casemiro. That, combined with the electric racing and skill of Vinícius Jr, is how Brazil got back into the match. Who will Brazil face next? Brazil will face Norway or Ivory Coast in the round of 16 in New York/New Jersey on July 5 (4 p.m. ET).

---

Related Articles

1. [World Cup 2026](https://verrikalam.com/ta/news/2026-30-3) 2. [ফ্রান্সের ব্র্যাডলি বারকোলা গোল করে এগিয়ে দিলেন ২-০](https://golghorbd.com/all-news/--252)