---
title: "Brazil Survive a Japan Scare as the World Cup's Last 16 Takes Shape"
description: "Brazil needed a 96th-minute strike from substitute Gabriel Martinelli to escape Japan 2-1 and reach the 2026 World Cup's Round of 16, on a knockout night that also sent the Netherlands and Morocco to a penalty shootout in Monterrey."
category: "Sports"
category_url: https://herald.la/category/sports
author: "Elias Rosen"
published: 2026-06-30T03:48:00.000Z
updated: 2026-06-30T03:48:00.000Z
canonical: https://herald.la/article/brazil-survive-a-japan-scare-as-the-world-cup-s-last-16-takes-shape
tags: ["2026 FIFA World Cup", "Brazil", "Japan", "Netherlands", "Morocco", "soccer"]
---
# Brazil Survive a Japan Scare as the World Cup's Last 16 Takes Shape

Brazil needed a 96th-minute strike from substitute Gabriel Martinelli to escape Japan 2-1 and reach the 2026 World Cup's Round of 16, on a knockout night that also sent the Netherlands and Morocco to a penalty shootout in Monterrey.

The expanded World Cup keeps refusing to respect reputations — and Monday's knockout games kept the drama coming across two host cities.

## Brazil escape Japan

At NRG Stadium in Houston, Brazil made hard work of eliminating Japan, [Al Jazeera reported](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/29/martinelli-scores-late-as-brazil-beat-japan-2-1-enter-world-cup-last-16). Japan struck first when Kaishu Sano curled an effort home from distance in the 29th minute, stunning the crowd and pushing the five-time champions onto the back foot. Casemiro leveled in the 56th with a powered header from Gabriel Magalhães's cross, and with extra time looming, substitute Gabriel Martinelli settled it deep in stoppage time for a 2-1 win. Brazil advance to the Round of 16 — where they will meet the winner of Ivory Coast vs. Norway in East Rutherford, New Jersey — looking far from their dominant best.

## Drama in Monterrey

The night's headline tie was the one that wouldn't be decided. Before a packed Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, the Netherlands and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw after extra time, [theScore reported](https://www.thescore.com/worldcup/news/3560380/morocco-forces-extra-time-vs-netherlands-with-dramatic-equalizer). Cody Gakpo put the Dutch ahead in the 72nd minute, only for Morocco's Issa Diop to head home an equalizer in first-half stoppage time of regulation, sending the Atlas Lions' supporters into raptures and the match to penalties. The shootout was still being decided as this edition went to press; the winner faces Canada in the Round of 16 on July 3 in Houston.

## A wide-open bracket

The results fit the pattern of a tournament that has respected no pedigree. Germany, a four-time champion, had already been bounced on penalties by Paraguay — a result the Herald covered separately — and Canada became the first side through to the last 16, edging South Africa 1-0 before their home-continent crowd. With France, Mexico and other heavyweights still to play their last-32 ties, the path to the final at this 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, looks as open as any in a generation.

## Sources

- [Martinelli scores late as Brazil beat Japan 2-1, enter World Cup last 16](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/29/martinelli-scores-late-as-brazil-beat-japan-2-1-enter-world-cup-last-16)
- [Morocco forces extra time vs Netherlands with dramatic equalizer](https://www.thescore.com/worldcup/news/3560380/morocco-forces-extra-time-vs-netherlands-with-dramatic-equalizer)
- [World Cup 2026 live updates: Brazil beat Japan, Netherlands-Morocco](https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/soccer/live-blog/fifa-world-cup-games-2026-june-29-live-updates-rcna352197)