Brazil survive Japan scare with 95th-minute Martinelli winner to reach last 16

The late turnaround

Japan took a first-half lead through Kaishu Sano and controlled large spells, pushing Brazil to the brink of their earliest World Cup exit since 1966. Brazil had not overturned a deficit in a knockout game since beating England in the 2002 quarter-final, and for long stretches an upset looked plausible.

Casemiro levelled after the break, rewarding a tactical shift at half-time. Then, five minutes into added time, substitute Gabriel Martinelli swept a Bruno Guimaraes pass past Zion Suzuki to complete the comeback. The goal sent the Brazilian bench charging onto the pitch, though Ancelotti himself remained motionless, already issuing instructions to his staff.

Ancelotti’s calm influence

The Italian, in his first World Cup as Brazil’s first foreign coach, kept his nerve when the team were 45 minutes from humiliation. Defender Gabriel Magalhães later said the dressing room message was one of patience.

“The coach always tries to transmit calmness to us. The conversations at half time were about keeping cool heads. We know it’s a long game. And you saw what happened: we kept believing and ended up victorious.”

Ancelotti himself described the performance as the team’s most complete of the tournament, and pointed to a deliberate change at the interval, using more crosses to unlock Japan’s deep block.

“At half-time I told the players to be patient, because sooner or later we would score a goal. But we had to keep our shape to ensure we did not compromise the game further.”

Japan’s near miss

Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu saw progress even in defeat. His side had frustrated Brazil for long periods and felt the gap to the elite is closing.

“Brazil are a top team but we are definitely approaching that level. There were moments when Japan were definitely controlling the game and the defence has become firmer than before. But if we are to beat these powerhouses we have to improve further.”

South American football expert Tim Vickery stressed the scale of the risk Brazil faced at the interval.

“I want to underline the enormous potential for humiliation that was staring this Brazil team in the face at half time. Brazil, for obvious reasons, has strong traditionalist leanings. Imagine being knocked out not in the quarter-final, but the last 32, by a team from Asia.”

What lies ahead

Brazil will meet the winners of Tuesday’s tie between Ivory Coast and Norway in New Jersey on Sunday. Ancelotti kept Neymar on the bench throughout, revealing he had planned to introduce the 34-year-old only if the game went to extra time. For now, Brazil’s World Cup story continues with a coach who seems unable to panic.