World Cup 2026: Brazil come from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in round of 32 in Houston

Brazil came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 29, reaching the World Cup 2026 round of 16 as Japan were eliminated.

Henry DONCHE

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On 29 Jun 2026 at 20:04 Updated 29 Jun 2026

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Illustration du match Brésil VS Japon, le 29/06/2026 18:00, stade Houston Stadium

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SUMMARY

Brazil impose their tactical superiority after Japan’s opener
Japan resist but give way under Brazilian pressure

Brazil beat Japan 2-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston in their World Cup 2026 round-of-32 match on June 29. After falling behind, head coach Carlo Ancelotti and his players managed to turn the game around thanks in particular to goals from Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage time, securing their qualification for the round of 16.

Japan had opened the scoring through Kaishu Sano in the 29th minute, but could not hold out against Brazilian pressure in the second half. This knockout match therefore brings Japan’s run to an end, while Brazil continue their journey in the competition.

Playing in a 4-3-3 system, Brazil started Alisson in goal, protected by a defense made up of Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Douglas Santos. The midfield featured Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá, supporting an attacking trio of Rayan, Matheus Cunha and Vinícius Júnior. Despite a difficult start, the Brazilian XI showed character.

Japan opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation with Zion Suzuki in goal, supported in defense by Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi and Hiroki Itō. In midfield, Kaishu Sano, Daichi Kamada, Keito Nakamura and Ritsu Doan played behind an attacking line composed of Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda and Ayase Ueda. Hajime Moriyasu sought to disrupt Brazil’s style but saw his team drop deeper after opening the scoring.

The first half was marked by high intensity and several yellow cards, notably for K. Sano and Kamada on the Japanese side, as well as Casemiro for Brazil. Sano was the key figure in the opening goal, rewarding effective pressing.

Brazil impose their tactical superiority after Japan’s opener

After falling behind, Brazil regained control of the match by increasing their possession, finishing with 68% over the course of the game. Casemiro played a key role, acting both as ball-winner and scorer of the equalizing goal in the 56th minute from an assist by Gabriel Guimarães. The introduction of Lucas Paquetá in the second half brought greater creativity and attacking support, particularly for forwards Matheus Cunha and Vinícius Júnior.

At the end of regulation time, substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored the winning goal in added time from a Bruno Guimarães pass. The late finish confirmed Brazil’s resilience and collective quality, driven by their coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Japan resist but give way under Brazilian pressure

Japan surprised Brazil by opening the scoring through Kaishu Sano, who stood out for his fighting spirit but also picked up an early yellow card. Hajime Moriyasu’s side tried to control the game from their 3-4-2-1 formation, with a compact block in front of Zion Suzuki’s goal, the goalkeeper making several important saves.

Despite a solid defensive organization and attacking changes in the second half, Japan were unable to hold on to their advantage. The substitutions of key players such as Ritsu Doan and Daichi Kamada could not reverse the momentum against a well-orchestrated Brazil team.

This defeat eliminates Japan from the competition, and they must now wait for their next international assignment to continue their project of progress on the world stage.

Brazil

Finished 2-1 Houston Stadium

Japan

29/06/2026 18:00 Round of 32

Fil du match

12'Carton jaune - K. SanoJapon, 12e
14'Carton jaune - CasemiroBrésil, 14e
29'But - K. SanoJapon, 29e
45'Carton jaune - D. KamadaJapon, 45e
46'Remplacement - Lucas Paqueta (remplace Endrick)Brésil, 46e
48'Carton jaune - DaniloBrésil, 48e
56'But - Casemiro (passe Gabriel)Brésil, 56e
66'Remplacement - M. Cunha (remplace G. Martinelli)Brésil, 66e
66'Remplacement - R. Doan (remplace Y. Sugawara)Japon, 66e
66'Remplacement - K. Nakamura (remplace J. Suzuki)Japon, 66e
78'Remplacement - D. Kamada (remplace A. Tanaka)Japon, 78e
78'Remplacement - J. Ito (remplace S. Machino)Japon, 78e
84'Carton jaune - J. SuzukiJapon, 84e
90+2'Remplacement - Casemiro (remplace Fabinho)Brésil, 90+2e
90+5'But - G. Martinelli (passe Bruno Guimaraes)Brésil, 90+5e
90+7'Remplacement - D. Maeda (remplace K. Ogawa)Japon, 90+7e
90+8'Remplacement - Bruno Guimaraes (remplace Danilo Santos)Brésil, 90+8e

Les chiffres du match

Tirs cadres : Brazil 6 / Japan 2
Tirs : Brazil 16 / Japan 5
Possession : Brazil 68% / Japan 32%
Corners : Brazil 3 / Japan 2
Fautes : Brazil 4 / Japan 8
Cartons jaunes : Brazil 2 / Japan 2
Passes : Brazil 588 / Japan 273
Precision des passes : Brazil 92% / Japan 84%
xG : Brazil 1.44 / Japan 0.23

Joueurs clés

Casemiro (Brazil) : note 8.2, 1 but(s), 1 carton(s) jaune(s)
Kaishu Sano (Japan) : note 7.6, 1 but(s), 1 carton(s) jaune(s)
Gabriel Magalhães (Brazil) : note 7.3, 1 passe(s) decisive(s)
Zion Suzuki (Japan) : note 7.3, 4 arret(s)
Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan) : note 7.7

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World Cup 2026: Brazil come from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in round of 32 in Houston

SUMMARY

Brazil impose their tactical superiority after Japan’s opener

Japan resist but give way under Brazilian pressure

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