Brazil 2-1 Japan: Martinelli the savior of A Seleção at the ultimate 95TH MINUTE

Gabriel Martinelli's 96th-minute winner saw Brazil dramatically come from behind to advance to the World Cup last 16 and cruelly deny Japan a first-ever knockout stage win in the competition.

Match Report

Carlo Ancelotti's side were staring down the barrel of a disastrous early exit when Kaishu Sano scored from the edge of the box in the first half - after he breezed past Casemiro too easily.

But Casemiro made up for that slack defending by equalising after the break. Minutes after failing to convert a sitter, he headed home Gabriel's cross at the far post to the relief of the sizeable Brazil support in Houston.

Vinicius Jr almost turned the game on its head as his solo run and finish was palmed onto the post by Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

But Suzuki cruelly could not do enough on Martinelli's stoppage-time poke - only able to palm the effort onto the inside of the post before the ball rolled in.

Brazil advance to the round of 16 where they will play Ivory Coast or Erling Haaland's Norway. Japan, meanwhile, have led in each of their last three World Cup knockout games - and lost them all.

Line-ups

Brazil XI: Danilo, Alisson, Casemiro, Marquinhos, Douglas, Guimaraes, Gabriel, Paqueta, Vinicius, Matheus Cunha, Rayan

Subs: Weverton, Sandro, Neymar, Ederson, Fabinho, Léo Pereira, Gleison, Ibanez, Martinelli, Éderson, Igor Thiago, Luiz Henrique, Danilo Santos, Endrick

Japan XI: Shogo Taniguchi, Junya Ito, Ritsu Doan, Kamada, Tomiyasu, Daizen Maeda, Hiroki Ito, Keito Nakamura, Zion Suzuki, Ayase Ueda, Kaishu Sano

Subs: Nagatomo, Ko Itakura, Koki Ogawa, Ao Tanaka, Ayumu Seko, Keisuke Osako, Takefusa Kubo, Yukinari Sugawara, Shuto Machino, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Yuito Suzuki, Tomoki Hayakawa, Keisuke Goto, Junnosuke Suzuki, Kento Shiogai