Substitute Gabriel Martinelli struck at the death to earn Brazil a hard-fought passage to the World Cup round of 16 as Japan fell at the first knockout round in dramatic fashion once more.
Samurai Blue, 2-1 losers on the day, had claimed a shocking lead in the first half when Kaishu Sano punished sloppy defending from Danilo and Casemiro before driving in from range. Brazil improved from a low berth in the second half and Casemiro made amends for a shaky display by heading home Gabriel Magalhaes' fine cross from the left.
Japan appeared to be heading to injury time when Ao Tanaka lost the ball in his own third, Brazil slicing through a defense that had been so excellent in the preceding 93 minutes. It is yet more heartbreak for an impressive Japan, who have still never won a knockout game at a World Cup, while Brazil will consider their first half a warning for the challenges ahead as they bid to add a sixth World Cup title.
Brazil did not want for possession from the outset and yet it was not clear that they knew how best to exploit that against a Japan rearguard that would quickly collapse into a 5-4-1 with little space between their lines. Set pieces caused the odd worry and for a moment around the 10th minute, Japan were a bit perturbed by the playmaking of Bruno Guimaraes. Ultimately, though, accessing the penalty area was an almighty slog for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
And then they would lose the ball and find there was nothing protecting their backline. After a wobbly display in their opener against Morocco, Ancelotti had felt compelled to shift his midfield to a three but still Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta, hobbled early on by the Japan press, could not get back in time to protect Casemiro. His first notable action was a clumsy foul on Junya Ito worthy of a yellow card.
Did that booking limit his ability to quell the threat when Sano stole the ball in midfield? Probably not. This was less a question of will than one of means. Casemiro did not have the legs to protect his backline when caught even a few yards upfield. On and on Sano went, a low drive from range leaving Alisson without hope.
Casemiro's struggles did not stop there. Clumsy giveaways, further occasions where he could not lay a glove on a Japan attacker: this was threatening to be a hall of shame day for the veteran. Had Paqueta not suffered an injury on the stroke of halftime, the outgoing Manchester United man might well have made way. Instead, he got his shot at redemption.
Endrick's introduction brought a bit more zip to Brazil's build-up, but really, the most effective adjustment Ancelotti made was that his side eschewed their pursuit of the perfect pass from the first half, choosing instead to get the ball in the mixer. Fine crosses from the right brought Bruno Guimaraes a telling chance before Vinicius Junior hooked one back inwards for Casemiro, denied on the line by a combination of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Zion Suzuki.
He would not give in. Gabriel Magalhaes bent an excellent cross to the back post, curling away from goalkeeper Suzuki and to the back post, where Casemiro was waiting to thunder in a header.
For an instant, Brazil believed again. Vinicius Junior brought the cut through that had gone missing for him since the group stage, sending defenders sprawling to the deck before poking a right-footed shot at goal. Suzuki just managed to get a glove on it.
Such cutting runs are joyously rare but perhaps Brazil could have tried a few more attempts to drive through the Japanese lines. Instead, they decided to test the theory that there could be too much of a good thing, continually trying to replicate Gabriel's cross against a Japan defense that were no longer camped on their six-yard box.
If only they had tried working through the lines sooner, their progress might have been secured before the 95th minute, when Guimaraes had the composure to turn down a shooting chance on the edge of the box and slide in Martinelli, who opened his body up and rolled a ball just beyond the grasp of Suzuki. For the fifth time in eight World Cups, it was heartbreak for Japan at the first knockout hurdle. If Brazil do not improve, however, they might not be clearing many more hurdles this summer.
Somehow they found a way. It wasn't impressive. It won't win them many more games if they play like this. But they found a way thanks to the quality of Guimaraes and Martinelli.
Heartbreak for Japan! They lose the ball deep and Brazil get a rare chance to work the ball around. Guimaraes feints for a shot and slides in the substitute Martinelli, who opens up his body and rolls it in. Brazil are bound for the round of 16.
A half opening for Endrick but even after 93 minutes, Japan are organised enough to get back and throw bodies at the Lyon loanee. One of them manages to block the shot and the resulting corner is looped to safety by Fabinho, who has replaced the injured Casemiro. Extra time beckons.
We've still got a fair while left and Brazil are already at 21 open play crosses in the second half. Now of course some of them have been supremely effective, none more so than Casemiro's goal, but there is too much of a good thing and Japan seem altogether more settled under the high ball right now. This is almost the moment to go back to what didn't really work in the first half and try to work the ball a bit more.
We've got 15 minutes left plus added time and right now it seems like neither side is too pressed about the prospect of this ending all square. Japan are still chasing the ball in the attacking third when Brazil give them encouragement but they maybe lack the legs to get to the ball. Will Ao Tanaka help in that regard? He replaces Kamada. Shuto Machino is also on for Ito.
Moriyasu's side seem to have learned the lesson from dropping too deep for Brazil's equaliser, where Casemiro was onside three yards from goal. The Selecao are still seeing more of the ball but they are finding their possession contested across much more of the pitch, whether it's through a high press or a defensive line that is back in the right spots again. When Japan get the ball back they're holding it better too and creating chances, Ueda's snap shot bouncing awkwardly in front of Alisson.
That could have been the goal of the tournament. Vinicius finally gets space to drive forward and doesn't he exploit it. A body feint sends his defender flying to the floor and as he enters the box he tries a poked finish with his right foot. Suzuki just, just, just gets a glove on the ball, deflecting it against the post.
The crosses were starting to threaten and now they really pay dividend. Gabriel puts one in from the left corner of the box, five or so yards out. It's perfectly delivered and Casemiro is on hand at the back post to vindicate Ancelotti's decision to stick with him.
The first half is rather similar to the second in that Brazil are seeing plenty of the ball. Maybe the pace has been upped a bit more too and they're looking for a bit more variety rather just the lock picking game. Case in point, a fine cross from the right that Guimaraes meets so well. Suzuki saves very well.
Brazil come again with the crosses and this time the Japan goalkeeper is nowhere to be found as Vinicius flicks the ball back into the mixer. Casemiro meets it and for a second you're sure it's in. Tomiyasu somehow gets a shoulder on it on the goalline, deflecting the ball against Suzuki. Brazil were sure it was in. It nearly was!
Here comes Endrick, the boy wonder who has become such a cause celebre for Brazil fans, and he replaces Paqueta. One would assume that Endrick goes to center forward with Cunha behind him. That'll leave Casemiro in the midfield two where he so struggled against Morocco.
Immediately Endrick is on the ball, looking to up the pace with a direct run. Even after good lay offs from the Real Madrid man and Cunha, Japan get back in time to force Vinicius into a low probability cross that Suzuki claims.
We said before the game that this was a match for Vinicius Junior to cement his legacy with the Selecao after that brilliant group stage run. Of course to be able to do that he has to get some joy from a Japan defense that, led by the excellent Takehiro Tomiyasu at the right center back, really are not letting the Real Madrid man move through the gears. One chance created, one shot, very few dangerous carries: he just can't find a way to goal.
That was pretty bad all told. An awful lot of the ball but as the half wore on you rather got the sense that Japan were perfectly relaxed about letting Paqueta, Casemiro and the defenders see plenty of possession. There just aren't enough deep weapons to test a well-drilled Japan backline. Paqueta looks to have taken another knock and you wonder if he will be back out for the second half. You wonder if it's much of a problem for Ancelotti if he isn't. Both he and Casemiro look like they shouldn't really be playing for a team with Brazil's reputation.
A little too slow at getting the ball upfield, lacking the threat out wide from overlapping full backs, Brazil don't really seem to have a sense of what they plan to do to charm open a Japan side that are very happy dropping into a 5-4-1 25 yards from goal and baiting Brazil's front three into hit and hopers. Vinicius and Cunha have already obliged.
What a brilliant goal that is and Japan are in dreamland! Danilo tries to play infield as Brazil struggle with the Japan press. Sano steals it and flies through midfield. Casemiro can't even reach him to foul him and from just outside the box the Mainz midfielder takes a swing. His low drive is perfectly hit and Japan lead the five time champions.
... and Vinicius Junior is away down the left. The problem is that when he gets to the byline and puts a cross in, Tomiyasu clear that there's no way his man is getting infield, there's not any yellow shirts to aim at. While having Cunha as a false nine has helped to unlock Brazil's ball progression it does leave them a little light in the penalty area. It's a bind that is very hard to solve without having the sort of legitimately elite No.9 that, well, Brazil used to have.
Japan have just survived a flurry of Guimaraes orchestrated pressure -- teeing up Matheus Cunha to draw a save and then working a short corner into a shooting position of his own -- but they're immediately punching up the other end. Ito manouvers around a few yellow shirts on his way to the edge of the box and a clumsy foul by Casemiro, who gets a deserved yellow.
Kamada takes the free kick in a dangerous spot but doesn't meet it cleanly, his effort deflected wide for a corner that Japan don't threaten from either. They'll need to do more in these moments.
Carlo Ancelotti will be pretty happy with how this is going so far though his counterpart in the opposite dugout might not be unduly bothered either. Through the first seven minutes Brazil have had 76% possession without quite drawing Japan out of their shape, which is excellent. A deep free kick into the box briefly troubles Suzuki, who comes out a long way to catch and needs a second and third juggle to catch the ball. Brazil aren't breaking through in open play but if you keep the ball for this long in the final third chances do often come.
The countdown timer meets booming cries from what sounds a very loud NRG Stadium. From the very off Japan are pressing very aggressively, forcing Alisson into a very loose clearance that goes straight to Doan. Brazil scramble back and Paqueta wins a free kick for a foul by Tomiyasu but it seems to have come with a bit of damage to his hamstring, One to keep an eye on, that.
Kick off is fast approaching. This feels like the game this World Cup has been waiting for, a true high stakes test for one of the elite. Can Brazil hold their nerve? Will Japan feel the weight of history? We'll soon know.
This could be an historic moment for the Japan national team. On an unbroken streak of reaching the World Cup since 1998 -- four years before they jointly held it with South Korea -- this side have reached the knockout stage on five of the eight occasions in which they have participated, their escape from Group F making it three straight. However they are still to win an elimination game at this tournament.
In 2002 Umit Davala struck late on for eventual semifinalists Turkey. Eight years later in South Africa it was elimination by penalties to Paraguay, as it would be in 2022 when they were overcome by Croatia. Between those games in 2018 a thriller in Rostov, Japan roaring out to a two goal lead over contenders Belgium only to be undone in the last 20 or so minutes. This time Hajime Moriyasu wants more. Still he repeats his insistence that this team should aim to win the whole competition.
"I'm saying it also for our future as Japanese can definitely achieve it. Brazil are the favorites at any World Cup, while I want us to battle through this tournament as the favorite among the dark horses."
"We'll do our best to change history once again. We get to play a match that the world will be watching, and I want it to be one that gives us confidence in our future."
We're still waiting for that big tournament knockout game that gets taken over by Vinicius Junior but the first three games of this World Cup have the Real Madrid man set up about as well as he could wish to make this tournament his own. I mean look at the damage he did on his way to two goals against Scotland.
Those 3.07 expected goals aren't just the most by any player in a game at this tournament (unsurprisingly). Against Scotland alone Vinicius put up more xG than any player at this World Cup in total. This was a beat down, a player who could poach, dribble or press his way to a goal. Without wishing to state the obvious, he is the clear and present dangerman for Japan.
One of the defining qualities of Hajime Moriyasu's Japan is that he's willing to fully use his squad. In the three games from the group stage 17 players started for Samurai Blue and so maybe it is not a surprise that the likes of Ao Tanaka, Ko Itakura and Takefusa Kubo have to settle for places on the bench. Similarly we've seen that Moriyasu is willing to change things up quickly without it being dramatic when, for instance, Itakura comes off with less than 40 minutes played against Sweden. Consider this to be what Moriyasu considers the best team to beat Brazil. Whether it works, we will soon know.
Brazil: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Douglas Santos; Bruno Guimares, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta; Rayan, Matheus Cunha, Vinicius Junior
Japan: Zion Suzuki; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Hiroki Ito; Ritsu Doan, Kaishu Sano, Daichi Kamada, Keito Nakamura; Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda; Ayase Ueda
Date: Monday, June 29 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium -- Houston, Texas
TV: Fox One (Eng), Universo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: Brazil -150; Draw +270; Japan +400
Well this is a proper way to start a proper day of World Cup action. Japan have long been considered one of the dark horses of this tournament and what is such a creature supposed to do? Beat a thoroughbred in the big races. It is not something that Japan have ever achieved before in knockout matches but they have probably never had a better team. This could be intriguing.
