At the death, with 95 minutes on the clock and Japan hearts already in fragments, Gabriel Martinelli squeezed his shot past Zion Suzuki. The ball found the net, Brazil were through. And not for the first time in this tournament, the most successful side in World Cup history got away with it.
Brazil had trailed 1-0 at half-time, struggling badly. Five of their starting lineup were over 30, and they looked it. Japan were quicker, slicker, sharper. Yet the introduction of Endrick and a change of shape at the break turned the game. Brazil began slinging crosses into the box, Japan wobbled. Casemiro, a pedestrian in the first half, headed the equaliser. Then came Martinelli's moment.
“Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage-time winner sent Brazil into World Cup last 16, where they will face Erling Haaland's Norway.”
For Japan, it was another knockout heartbreak. Manager Hajime Moriyasu had acknowledged a psychological block over winning a World Cup knockout match – they still have never done so. But this was perhaps their best ever performance at a tournament.
Now Brazil await their next opponent. The prize for both nations in the other round-of-32 tie was huge. Norway, appearing in their first World Cup in 28 years, knocked out Ivory Coast 2-1. It was decided late, of course. Antonio Nusa had opened the scoring with a brilliant individual strike, cutting in from the right and bending a shot into the far corner. But Manchester United's Amad equalised, cutting inside and finishing. Then, with five minutes left, the inevitable: Erling Haaland. Patrick Berg squared the ball, and the Manchester City striker tapped into an empty net – though not with his smoothest contact. Amad almost forced extra time with a stoppage-time free-kick, only to be denied by a stunning save.
Norway effectively wrote off a game last week, making 10 changes against France, a gamble that paid off. Now they face Brazil, and Carlo Ancelotti will have plenty to keep him busy. The smart money points to a clash between England and the South Americans in the last eight, but both need to negotiate games before that. Norway, with Haaland, will hope it is them taking on England.