Brazil player ratings vs Japan: That's why Don Carlo is the coolest customer in football! Ancelotti masterminds come-from-behind win by sticking with Casemiro and bringing on Gabriel Martinelli to lea
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Brazil defeated Japan 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup, securing a spot in the last 16. Goals from Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli helped the team overcome an early deficit.
Why it matters
The result is significant for the tournament progression of a major footballing nation and highlights the tactical influence of manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli got the goals as Brazil came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in Houston to progress to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The five-time champions appeared to be heading for an embarrassingly early exit after falling behind to a terrific first-half strike from Kaishu Sano, who found the bottom corner of Alisson Becker's net with a low shot after pouncing on a misplaced pass from Danilo.
Sports reporting focused on match events and player performance without political or social bias.
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