Japan Suffers Heartbreaking Defeat to Brazil with Last-Minute Goal

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Japan fought on equal footing against world powerhouse Brazil in the Round of 32, but ultimately fell short in a heartbreaking loss. The jinx of never having won a knockout stage match in the World Cup has once again held Japan back.

Reporter Cho Min-ki has the story.

[Reporter]

Japan, which defeated Brazil in a friendly match last year, took the initiative again today (June 30).

In the 29th minute of the first half, Sano intercepted the ball in the center, dribbled forward, and scored the opening goal with a right-footed long-range shot.

Brazil, which had struggled against Japan's tight defense, regained control in the second half following tactical changes by head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Instead of relying on their signature short-passing attacks, Brazil shook Japan's defensive wall with cross-oriented attacks that shifted the direction of play significantly. In the 11th minute of the second half, Casemiro connected with a cross from Magalhaes on the left to head the ball into the net, leveling the score.

With momentum on their side, Brazil knocked on Japan's door several times but lacked luck in front of the goal. However, they finally scored a dramatic winner with just one minute left in the match.

Guimaraes threaded an exquisite pass through the Japanese defense, and Martinelli netted the thrilling winning goal.

With this 2-1 comeback victory, Brazil advanced to the Round of 16 and continues its quest for a title for the first time in 24 years since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

[Carlo Ancelotti / Brazil National Football Team Head Coach: We struggled against a very well-organized and threatening opponent. It was a team filled with players strong in physical contests. However, our team did not lose its way on the pitch.]

Japan, which displayed impressive performance throughout the tournament but failed once again to break the jinx of never winning a World Cup knockout match, saw head coach Hajime Moriyasu bow respectfully toward the stands.

[Hajime Moriyasu / Japan National Football Team Head Coach: I am sorry to everyone as I lacked the capability as a coach. However, the players poured all their strength into this. I hope you will send them generous applause.]

Brazil will compete for a spot in the quarterfinals on July 6 against the winner of the match between Ivory Coast and Norway.

(Video Editing: Lee So-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.