Brazil nearly got bounced from the World Cup on Monday. Instead, they pulled off a heist in stoppage time.
Japan came out swinging in the knockout stage match and took a first half lead that stunned the Brazilian side. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t clean. But Brazil found a way, thanks to a stoppage time goal from Gabriel Martinelli that sent the Seleção through to the Round of 16.
Casemiro leveled the score in the 56th minute, and for the next half hour Brazil pushed. They dominated possession. They created chances. And for a while it looked like it just wasn’t going to be their night. Japan defended in waves, clogged the middle of the pitch, and made Brazil earn every single inch of space.
Then the clock hit 90+6. Six minutes into stoppage time. The ball moved through the Brazilian attack in a quick, sharp series of passes. It found Martinelli in the box and he buried it. The stadium erupted. Brazil lives.
The win sets up a Round of 16 meeting with the winner of Norway vs. Ivory Coast. Either way, Brazil will be the heavy favorite on paper. But this game exposed some cracks. Japan outworked them in the first half and forced Brazil into uncharacteristic mistakes.
For Brazil, the goal is still the same: a record-extending sixth World Cup trophy. But if they keep needing last-second heroics to survive, that trophy might be harder to lift than anyone thought.
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