Brazil in the round of 16: 2-1 against Japan with Martinelli’s goal in the 95th minute

Brazil of Carlo Ancelotti beat 2-1 Japan and qualified for the round of 16 of the World Cup. In Houston, the Japanese took the lead in the first half with Sano in the 29th. In the second half the green and gold equalizer with Casemiro in the 11th. In the 95th minute, in full injury time, Martinelli made it 2-1 following a pass from Bruno Guimarães, putting Suzuki at the far post. In the next round, Brazil will face the winner of Ivory Coast-Norway.

The five-time world champions started on the attack and in the 14th minute Suzuki had to get his fingertips on a left-footed shot from distance by Cunha. In the 29th minute the Asians took the surprise lead. Danilo misses a horizontal pass, Sano recovers the ball, advances with the ball at his feet and from the edge launches a low right-footed shot that goes into the corner to Alisson’s right. The green-and-gold reaction was slow in coming and Suzuki is in no particular danger. We go to half-time at 1-0.

The green and gold recovery in the second half and Casemiro’s equalizer

The first chance of the second half came in the 6th minute and was for Ancelotti’s men, when Danilo crossed from the right, picking out Bruno Guimarães in the area, but his header was saved by a dive from Suzuki. Three minutes later, Casemiro almost equalized when his header was saved off the line by Tomiyasu with the goalkeeper beaten.

The equalizer is in the air and materializes in the 11th minute. Gabriel dishes a ball into the area once again finding Casemiro, who this time makes no mistake and beats Suzuki to make it 1-1. Two minutes later, Vinícius jumps with a Tomiyasu tunnel, enters the area and shoots with a right-footed shot which Suzuki is decisive to deflect onto the post, with the defense then sweeping. The pace drops and the match seems to be heading towards extra time.

Martinelli’s final flash and Ancelotti’s comment

Everything changes, however, in full recovery. In the final moments of the match, Bruno Guimarães finds the newly introduced Martinelli in the penalty area who controls, kicks with the right flat and passes Suzuki with the help of the post. It is the goal that sends the Brazilians to heaven, who can celebrate a difficult passage to the next round.

“We conceded goals but we didn’t lose patience. The team did well, even in the first half. I wasn’t disappointed with the quality of the game. In the second half the game was less closed.” These are the words of Carlo Ancelotti after his Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Japan which gives the Seleção the pass to the round of 16. “Tomorrow we’ll see how Paquetá and Casemiro are. Japan is a very organized team. It was important to win. I was waiting to put Neymar in extra time. If we hadn’t equalised, I would have put him in in the 60th minute,” he added, regarding O Ney’s condition.