Japan game ends in heartbreak as Brazil scores 96th-minute winner

Football isn’t played on the same strict clock as most other sports, but Brazil got as close to the final kick as the sport allows.

After the five-time World Cup champion Brazilian football player’s beautiful passing display, Gabriel Martinelli scored the net in the 96th minute, defeating Brazil 2-1 against Japan.

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Brazil entered Monday’s Round of 32 match against Japan as heavy favorites to advance, but it was the Japanese who struck first. Kaishu Sano Scored a goal for JapanThe team, which finished second in Group F after drawing with the Netherlands and Sweden and beating Tunisia 4-0, was not a superior opponent despite the huge difference in World Cup history.

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The goal came from Brazil’s mistake near midfield. Sano made the wrong pass, carried the ball himself and drilled a right-footed shot past Alisson from just outside the penalty area to give Japan a shocking lead in the 29th minute.

Brazil controlled the game in the second half and felt like equality was very close. This appeared to be the case when Casemiro tied the game with a header from inside the penalty area ten minutes into the second half.

Brazil fans celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan at Houston Stadium. (Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi Images)

Casemiro almost equalized two minutes ago but did not waste his next chance. Gabriel Magalhäes sent a ball into the penalty area and Casemiro put his header out of the reach of Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who eventually sought the goal.

Brazil took the lead almost immediately. Vinícius Júnior, one of the stars of the tournament for Brazil, broke free on the left side of the penalty area in the 58th minute, but Suzuki had enough shot to send the ball to the far post.

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Gabriel Martinelli, who came on as a substitute in the second half, finally seized the moment that Brazil spent almost the entire game chasing. He received the ball on the left wing, took touch and calmly sent a low shot towards the far post.

Japanese players reacted after losing to Brazil in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match at Houston Stadium. (Sean M. Haffey/FIFA)

Brazil continued to control the game in the second half, but could not score a goal. That changed when Brazil got the goal they needed to advance to the round of 16.

Brazil is now waiting for the winner of Ivory Coast-Norway for its Round of 16 opponent. Meanwhile, Japan is still yet to achieve its first World Cup knockout victory, but it did keep the five-time champions sweating until the final seconds.