Brazil breathed a collective sigh of relief as Gabriel Martinelli conjured up a dramatic stoppage-time winner to send them tumbling into the World Cup last 16. The Arsenal striker's goal in the 95th minute ripped the heart out of Japan, who had dominated the first half and looked set for one of the greatest upsets in tournament history.
Japan began with electric pace and purpose, leaving their South American opponents in their wake. They were rewarded in the 29th minute when Kaishu Sano pounced on a loose Danilo pass, surging past Casemiro like a scorching sprinter leaving the rest of the pack for dead. The low shot from outside the box was pinpoint perfect and left Brazil's defence scrambling to pick up the pieces.
However, Brazil's veteran manager Carlo Ancelotti proved his tactical nous in the face of adversity, introducing young star Endrick and a 4-2-3-1 formation at half-time. This masterstroke injected new life into the Brazilian side, who began peppering the Japanese box with crosses like a battering ram on the march to victory.
It seemed only a matter of time before Brazil's relentless pressure would pay dividends and, in the 56th minute, Casemiro powered home a header from Gabriel Magalhães's clever chip. The equaliser sparked a frenetic finale that had Japan reeling like a boxer caught on the ropes.
As the clock ticked down, Japan's manager Hajime Moriyasu made a desperate bid to stem the Brazilian tide by changing his wing-backs, but it was too late – Brazil were in their stride now. In the 95th minute, disaster struck for Japan as Ao Tanaka was dispossessed on the edge of his own box and the ball fell kindly to Martinelli, who squeezed home the winner with a clinical finish.
This result extends Japan's unwanted record of exiting the World Cup in the first knockout round five times. Despite the agony of defeat, this Japanese side delivered one of their best-ever performances against all the odds – even without key creative players and up against the might of Brazil. For Ancelotti's team, it was a testament to his 'stay in games' philosophy: where opponents make mistakes or your players conjure magic, that's what decides the outcome.
Source: UKPulse Media Reporter