Brazil overturned a 1-0 deficit to beat Japan 2-1 in the World Cup round of 32, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring the latest regulation-time winner in a knockout match since 1966. The result, secured in the 96th minute, sent the Seleção into the last 16 and marked their first comeback victory in a World Cup elimination game since the 2002 quarter-final against England.

Japan had taken a first-half lead through Kaishu Sano, exploiting a Brazilian build-up error, and then retreated into a compact 5-4-1 block that stifled the favourites. At the interval, with Lucas Paquetá forced off injured, Ancelotti’s response was not a like-for-like replacement but a structural gamble: he introduced the teenage forward Endrick, shifted to a 4-2-4, and moved Vinícius Júnior to the left flank. Arab-language coverage from Abu Dhabi noted that the Italian’s message in the dressing room was to “keep calm, the match is long, the chance will come” — a sentiment echoed by defender Gabriel Magalhães and midfielder Casemiro in post-match interviews.

The tactical switch immediately increased the volume of crosses into the Japanese penalty area. Casemiro, who had struggled in the first half and was on a yellow card, headed the equaliser in the 55th minute. Ancelotti then made another decisive intervention: with Neymar warming up on the touchline, he instead sent on Martinelli for Matheus Cunha in the 66th minute. The Arsenal forward operated as an inside-left attacker, and deep into added time he converted a cutback from Bruno Guimarães to complete the turnaround. Brazilian outlets highlighted that Ancelotti deliberately delayed Neymar’s introduction, judging that the team’s control of the second half made a change to the attacking structure unnecessary.

The victory was widely interpreted as a vindication of Ancelotti’s temperament. Indonesian media quoted Martinelli saying the coach “gave us confidence” at halftime, while Brazilian commentators contrasted the Italian’s serenity with the touchline anxiety that has often accompanied the Seleção in past tournaments. The coach himself later remarked that “suffering is normal” and that his side never lost patience. The result sets up a round-of-16 meeting with the winner of Norway versus Ivory Coast, to be played in New Jersey on Sunday.