World Cup 2026
29.06.2026 6 p.m.
Venue:NRG Stadium
Brazil 🇧🇷 vs 🇯🇵 Japan
It was an excellent knockout match and, in my view, one of the most entertaining games of the tournament so far.
Brazil eventually won 2–1, but they had to work very hard for it. Japan took the lead in the first half through Kaishu Sano and defended with great discipline. Brazil responded after halftime with Casemiro‘s equalizer before Gabriel Martinelli scored the dramatic winning goal in stoppage time to send Brazil through to the round of 16
My assessment:
- Brazil: 8.5/10. They showed resilience and quality when it mattered, although they weren’t at their best in the first half.
- Japan: 9/10. They executed their game plan extremely well and came within minutes of forcing extra time. Their performance showed they can compete with the world’s top teams.
The biggest lesson from the match is that Brazil’s experience and depth ultimately made the difference. Japan deserved a lot of credit and were unlucky to concede so late, but Brazil’s ability to keep attacking until the final whistle paid off.
