FIFA World Cup: Brazil beat Japan, reach Round of 16
What's the story
Brazil secured their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Japan. The match, played in Houston, saw Gabriel Martinelli score a dramatic winner in the dying moments. Casemiro had earlier equalized for Brazil after Kaishu Sano put Japan ahead with an unexpected goal. Here are the key stats.
Match
How did the match pan out?
Japan took an early lead, with Sano scoring from outside the box in the 29th minute. Brazil struggled to find their rhythm, with Vinicius Jr coming close but denied by Japan's goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. The South Americans finally equalized when Casemiro headed home in the 56th minute. Martinelli then sealed the victory with his late goal (90'+5'), sending Brazilian fans into a frenzy.
Stats
Key stats from the match
Brazil showed resilience in the second half, dominating possession and creating several chances. However, they were unable to find a way past Suzuki until Martinelli's late strike. Overall, Brazil held 55% possession compared to Japan's 36% in the match (9% in the contest). The South Americans made 19 scoring attempts, with seven on target. Japan completed 267 of their 331 passes.
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Casemiro attains this feat
At 34 years and 126 days, Casemiro has become the second-oldest goal-scorer for Brazil at the FIFA World Cup. As per ESPN, he is only behind Bebeto, who scored against Denmark in 1998, aged 34 years and 137 days.
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What next?
Brazil will face either Ivory Coast or Norway in the round of 16, which is scheduled for July 5 in New York. For Japan, it was another heartbreaking exit from the World Cup knockout stage.