Brazil broke Japan hearts with a last-gasp 2-1 win that took Carlo Ancelotti's side through to the Round of 16 at the World Cup.
Japan stunned Houston Stadium when they took the lead through Kaishu Sano in the 29th minute. The Mainz midfielder pounced on a poor pass from Danilo, easily surged past Casemiro and slotted the ball past Alisson Becker.
Brazil showed vast improvement in the second half, and Bruno Guimaraes went close in the 51st minute. The Newcastle United skipper's header produced a superb save from Zion Suzuki.
Somehow, the ball stayed out just moments later when Takehiro Tomiyasu blocked Casemiro's diving header on the spot. Selecao were knocking on the door and finally breaking down a resilient Japan defence.
Nobody would have complained if Casemiro had been brought off at half-time, but Ancelotti's trust in the former Manchester United midfielder paid off. He headed home a delightful cross from Gabriel Magalhaes to level proceedings in the 55th minute.
Vinicius Junior then came agonisingly close to giving the South Americans the lead. Suzuki turned the Real Madrid forward's fine effort onto the post.
The game looked to be headed to extra-time until Guimaraes came up with a moment of brilliance to pick Gabriel Martinelli out. The Arsenal attacker managed to find a way past Suzuki in the 90+6th minute.
Match Highlights
Brazil Player Ratings
Vinicius Junior (Brazil) at 2026 World CupPhil Noble via Action Images via Reuters
A sloppy first-half from Brazil reminded fans they are no longer the footballing powerhouse of yesteryear. Vinicius Junior rarely threatened in the first half but did click into gear in the second, while Matheus Cunha didn't get on the scoresheet but led the line effectively.
Talk about a tale of two halves for Casemiro, who endured a dismal first half, unable to keep up with a lively Japanese side who often left him chasing shadows. He came to the fore in the second half, producing a header that Manchester United fans are all too familiar with.
Danilo's selection as a starter continues to raise eyebrows, and he struggled in Houston. That wasn't the case for Marquinhos and Gabriel, particularly the Arsenal centre-back, who produced an inch-perfect cross for the equaliser and showcased his impressive passing.
Brazil left it late but sealed their place in the Round of 16 after Martinelli's stoppage-time winner. That came after a clever pass from Guimaraes who showed just why Arsenal are trying to sign him.
Player Position Rating out of 10 Minutes played
Alisson Becker GK 6 90
Danilo RB 4 90
Marquinhos RCB 7 90
Gabriel Magalhaes LCB 8 90
Douglas Santos LB 5 90
Bruno Guimaraes CM 7 90
Casemiro CM 6 89
Lucas Paqueta CM 6 49
Rayan RW 6 90
Vinicius Junior LW 6 90
Matheus Cunha ST 7 65
Endrick ST 7 45
Gabriel Martinelli LW 7 24
Fabinho CM 5 8
Danilo Santos CM N/A 1
Japan Player Ratings
Kaishu Sano (Japan) at the 2026 World CupAnnegret Hilse via Action Images via Reuters
Japan were always a threat on the counter-attack, and their midfield contributed excellently in transition. Particularly Sano, who Casemiro couldn't contain due to his energy and agility on the break.
Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada rarely put a foot wrong and continues to be a standout performer in Hajime Moriyasu's side. Up top, Genk attacker Junya Ito constantly looked to take his man on and perhaps deserved to stay on the pitch longer.
Moriyasu deserves huge praise for the way he set his team up as they defended as a team and aggressively dropped into a back-five after taking the lead. Shogo Taniguchi showed his experience at the age of 34, keeping Selecao's attacking stars at bay.
Between the sticks, Suzuki put in a fantastic display, which included a magnificent save to deny Vinicius. He couldn't do anything about Casemiro's header that came at point-blank range.
Player Position Rating out of 10 Minutes played
Zion Suzuki GK 8 90
Takehiro Tomiyasu RCB 7 90
Shogo Taniguchi CB 7 90
Hiroki Ito LCB 7 90
Ritsu Doan RWB 6 65
Kaishu Sano CM 8 90
Daichi Kamada CM 7 77
Keito Nakamura LWB 6 65
Junya Ito RW 7 77
Daizen Maeda LW 7 90
Ayase Ueda ST 5 90
Yukinari Sugawara RWB 6 25
Junnosuke Suzuki LWB 5 24
Ao Tanaka CM 6 12
Shuto Machino RW 6 12
Koki Ogawa LW N/A 2