Gabriel Martinelli's Last-Minute Winner Sends Brazil to Last 16

Gabriel Martinelli stepped out of the shadows and into World Cup folklore with a 96th-minute winner, dragging Brazil past a stubborn Japan side 2-1 and into the last 16.

The Arsenal winger started on the bench in Houston, then walked on to decide everything. One chance. One clean finish. One stadium erupting in yellow.

Brazil rocked, Japan ruthless

For long spells, this was not the swaggering Brazil the world expects. Carlo Ancelotti’s team went in at half-time behind and rattled.

Japan, disciplined and sharp on the break, struck first on 29 minutes. Kaishu Sano arrived in the box and punished Brazil, putting the Samurai Blue in front and sending a jolt through the Selecao support. Brazil probed, but Japan’s organisation held. The favourites looked hurried, short of ideas, almost waiting for someone else to take responsibility.

They found that someone after the restart.

Gabriel to Casemiro, and a lifeline

Eleven minutes into the second half, Brazil finally stitched together the kind of move that has defined generations. Gabriel, again trusted from the start at this World Cup, produced a superb cross from the right. It arced over the crowd, begging to be attacked.

Casemiro obliged. He ghosted to the back post and buried his header, a classic midfielder’s run and a finish that dragged Brazil level and back into the tie. The relief was obvious. Shoulders loosened. The noise rose. The game tilted.

But Japan refused to fold. They stayed compact, threatened on the counter and forced Brazil into a scrap that stretched deep into stoppage time.

Martinelli’s moment

With the contest on a knife-edge, Ancelotti turned to Martinelli, doubling Arsenal’s presence on the pitch and injecting fresh pace and intent into Brazil’s left flank. The winger buzzed around the Japanese defence, looking for a gap, a mistake, a loose touch.

It finally came in the 96th minute, from a move that could have been lifted straight out of a Premier League weekend.

Bournemouth’s Rayan snapped into a challenge on the edge of the area, winning the ball back high up the pitch. He quickly fed Bruno Guimaraes, the Newcastle United captain, who saw the lane and threaded an inch-perfect pass into Martinelli’s stride.

One touch to steady himself. Then the finish.

Martinelli opened his body and slid the ball ruthlessly past Zion Suzuki. It kissed the post on its way in, a tiny moment of doubt before the net rippled and the stadium exploded. From the brink of extra-time to wild Brazilian celebrations in a heartbeat.

Afterward, Martinelli could barely process it. He spoke of joy he “didn’t have words to describe,” of seeing Brazilian fans and his family celebrating, of a shot that had hit the post days earlier and the feeling he would get another chance. This time, the post was on his side.

The goal was his fifth for Brazil, coming on his 26th cap. Gabriel, now on 21 caps, has started all four of Brazil’s World Cup games so far, anchoring a defence that has carried the pressure of expectation from the first whistle of the tournament.

On Sunday, both could add to those numbers. Brazil will face either Norway or Ivory Coast in the next round, with the prospect of a clash against Martin Odegaard and guaranteed Arsenal representation in the quarter-finals lurking just beyond.

Havertz scores, then suffers

While Brazil surged, Germany stumbled again on the global stage.

Kai Havertz found the net in normal time but still walked away devastated as Germany crashed out against Paraguay on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Julio Enciso had given Paraguay a 42nd-minute lead, punishing Germany and turning the game into another nervy knockout test for a team with recent scars in this competition. Havertz dragged them back into it, timing his run perfectly to meet a Florian Wirtz cross and head in the equaliser.

Germany pushed. Jonathan Tah thought he had completed the turnaround in extra-time, only to see his goal ruled out. The tension tightened, the fear of another early exit creeping in.

The shootout confirmed it. Paraguay held their nerve. Germany did not. Havertz was one of three German players to miss from the spot as Paraguay completed a shock result and sent a heavyweight home far too early once again.

Havertz did not hide from the fallout. He called himself “speechless,” described this second World Cup failure as another mess, and labelled recent tournaments “a disaster.” His verdict was blunt: the players must look at themselves. They are carrying the weight of a huge football nation and falling short.

Two nights, two very different emotions for two Arsenal forwards on the World Cup stage. One walking off as Brazil’s late hero, the other left to confront the harshest questions of all.