Ancelotti's calm guides Brazil past Japan in World Cup comeback

Brazil survived a major scare in the World Cup round of 32, fighting back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Japan 2-1 thanks to a 95th-minute winner by Gabriel Martinelli. The first half had left Brazil on the brink of their earliest World Cup exit since 1966, trailing to a well-organized Japanese side.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil's first foreign manager at a World Cup, remained unflustered at halftime. He made only one enforced substitution, bringing on Endrick for the injured Lucas Paqueta. But his tactical tweaks transformed the team. After attempting just 12 crosses in the first half, Brazil launched 28 into the box after the break. This simple approach paid off when Casemiro headed the equalizer from a cross, and later Japan's mistake allowed Bruno Guimaraes to set up Martinelli for the winner.

South American football expert Tim Vickery told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Brazil are traditionalist snobs. The idea of being knocked out in the last 32 by an Asian team would have been a historic humiliation." Ancelotti's calm demeanor was praised, with former striker Chris Sutton calling him "Crafty Carlo" who does it again.

Ancelotti said after the match: "The only acceptable outcome is victory. We struggled to find space, but we solved the problem well." Brazil will face Ivory Coast or Norway in the quarter-finals. This was Brazil's first comeback win in a World Cup knockout game since beating Turkey in the 2002 semi-finals.