Gabriel Martinelli scored a crucial goal in stoppage time, sealing Brazil’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Japan and ensuring their passage to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. The absence of Neymar on the pitch, despite being available, was one of the hottest topics of the night, leaving Brazilian fans and others in a frenzy.
On Monday, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Brazil was on the brink of extra time until Martinelli, who was brought on in the second half, emerged at the last gasp of the game to put all doubts to rest, securing their ticket to the next phase of the tournament. Before that, Kaishu Sano had stunned the “canarinhos” by opening the scoring for Japan in the 29th minute, following a costly error in the Brazilian midfield. The balance remained until the teams returned from the dressing rooms, but Casemiro, in the 56th minute, restored parity with a precise header from a cross by Gabriel Magalhães, reigniting hope and pressure on the Japanese side.
THE 2026 WORLD CUP COMES ALIVE WITH LEGO
The victory puts Brazil into the Round of 16, where they will face either Ivory Coast or Norway next Sunday. With this win, Brazil keeps alive the dream of clinching their sixth championship, while Japan once again falters at critical moments, marking their fifth consecutive elimination in the Round of 16. This result reinforces the historical significance of the Brazilian national team, which now boasts 12 wins in 15 encounters against Japan, and contributes to the prestige of the team led by Carlo Ancelotti in this edition of the World Cup.
The highlight, however, was Ancelotti’s surprising decision not to use Neymar, even with the star having recovered from the right leg injury that kept him out of the first two group stage matches. Neymar had returned in the last round against Scotland, playing only 14 minutes, reigniting expectations for this match. In the end, the Italian coach explained: “I seriously considered putting him on the field. In the end, we didn’t need him,” said Ancelotti, making it clear that the technical decision was dictated by his reading of the game and the performance of the squad. Earlier, he had justified the choice of Martinelli: “We wanted, above all, to refresh the field because Martinelli has a lot of intensity as a player. When he comes in, he is always at his maximum,” emphasized the coach, through a translator, right after the victory.
On an individual level, Casemiro was one of the standout names as he scored the equalizing goal, but he left the field injured at the beginning of stoppage time in the second half, raising some concern within the team for the upcoming matches. Vinicius Júnior, the top Brazilian scorer in this edition of the tournament, came close to making it 2-1, but saw his shot deflected by Japanese goalkeeper Suzuki onto the post, in a play that lifted the fans from their seats. Japan, true to its competitive DNA, still tried to surprise with quick transitions, but lacked composure at key moments.
The absence of Neymar reignites the debate over Brazil’s dependence on their number 10, but the victory without the star seems to bolster the group’s confidence and belief in the collective. Ancelotti emphasized this idea in the aftermath: “We can never be satisfied with what we are doing. We are working well, we are performing, but we want to play even better. We want to compete at the highest level,” assured the Italian coach, aware that the real decisions are yet to come.
The next challenge, in the round of 16, will be a test of Brazil’s defensive solidity and tactical adaptability, especially if Casemiro does not recover in time. The management of Neymar will continue to be central, not only due to his physical condition but also because of the psychological impact he has on opponents and teammates. If Ancelotti maintains his focus on the collective, Martinelli and the other players will need to continue to rise to the occasion and silence any criticism regarding the technical choices.
The hard-fought victory against Japan reinforces Brazil’s status as favorites, but it also reveals weaknesses that need to be addressed if they wish to lift the trophy again. With the top teams still in contention and the path to the final becoming increasingly demanding, Brazil will need to show more than individual talent — they will have to prove that they are, in fact, a true championship team.
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