Brazil narrowly avoids early World Cup exit as Arsenal star scores last-gasp winner

Gabriel Martinelli's late goal sent Brazil through to the Round of 16 -Credit:Michael Regan - FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images Brazil narrowly avoided a FIFA World Cup upset as they rallied from behind to defeat a determined Japan side and advance to the Round of 16.

>Kaishu Sano's goal sent shockwaves through Houston, but the South American nation ultimately fought back. Casemiro was first to find the back of the net for Carlo Ancelotti's side before Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scored an added-time winner to keep them on track for a potential showdown with Thomas Tuchel's England in Miami.

>Turn back the clock 20 years, and Brazil beat Japan 4-1 in the group phase during a game that saw Ronaldo equal the then record for goals at a World Cup. The gap between the teams has undoubtedly narrowed since that evening in Dortmund.

Uruguay out of World Cup as players forced to get commercial flights • >Australian soccer fans' anti-Donald Trump chant could spark World Cup controversy -Credit:DeFodi Images, DeFodi Images via Getty ImagesSano sparked thoughts of a shock Japanese win when he scored the opening goal just before the half-hour mark, gliding past Casemiro before unleashing a low drive from 20 yards that eluded the outstretched arm of Alisson, as per The Mirror.

>Brazil's expected response arrived early in the second half, Bruno Guimaraes had a header blocked before the Japanese backline and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki somehow thwarted Casemiro from close range. The former Manchester United midfielder wouldn't be frustrated for long, though, as he nodded home a leveler at the far post shortly before the hour mark.

>Vinicius Jr. nearly netted one of the World Cup's greatest individual goals as he danced through the Japanese defense, only for Suzuki to produce a powerful left-handed save to tip his effort onto the post.

>Ancelotti turned to Martinelli, who was handed the opportunity to send Brazil into the Round of 16 late in the match, and the Arsenal forward demonstrated ice-cold composure to convert.

>Here are five talking points from a dramatic late Brazilian victory.

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Shock avoidedThe weight of expectation on Brazil is always enormous, and their wait for World Cup glory now stretches to 24 years. They turned to Ancelotti in hopes of injecting some European tactical nous, yet the Italian found himself staring down one of the great modern-day upsets at halftime.

>Brazil have frequently stumbled at the quarterfinal stage, falling in the last eight in four of the past five tournaments, but an exit in the Round of 32 would have devastated fans along the Copacabana. Instead, the dream remains alive, despite clear shortcomings within this Brazilian squad.

>Their hope rests on the belief that their talent, particularly in attack, can compensate for those weaknesses.

Brazil's Achilles heelsIt was rarely exposed during the group stage, largely owing to the quality of their opposition and their dominance, but deploying Casemiro as the holding midfielder consistently left them vulnerable to being overrun. In Lucas Paqueta and Guimaraes, he was flanked by two midfielders, both aged 28.

>This meant that if Japan could penetrate in behind or play on the half-turn, they always possessed the pace to exploit the Brazilian midfield. The warning signs emerged before the opener, resulting in Casemiro picking up a booking, with the vulnerability further laid bare when Japan took the lead.

-Credit:Icon Sportswire, Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesAncelotti's gamble pays offWhile it is well established that Casemiro no longer possesses the pace and energy he commanded a decade ago, the Brazilian has retained his ability to score goals — and significant ones at that. He demonstrated this throughout the final stretch of his time at Old Trafford, and now on the World Cup stage.

>With Casemiro on a yellow card and being targeted in midfield, conventional wisdom dictated he should have been substituted at halftime, yet Ancelotti chose to withdraw Paqueta and introduce Endrick instead. Casemiro may have been a disaster waiting to unfold, but he's equally a goal threat ready to strike — and strike he did.

Japan the growing forceThis would certainly have been a surprise, no question about it, though perhaps not to the magnitude some might expect. Japan have been consistent World Cup participants without ever truly making their mark, yet in the months preceding this tournament, they have been staking a genuine claim.

>England supporters will inevitably recall Japan securing a victory at Wembley, however much they may wish to erase it from memory. The Japanese took the lead that evening and never looked back. Few could dispute they fully deserved that win, which only served to bolster their confidence further. Japan have not historically been a major force in international soccer, but that narrative could be on the verge of changing dramatically in the years ahead.

-Credit:Tullio Puglia - FIFA, FIFA via Getty ImagesEnglish RamificationsThis game was always going to influence England's path to the final, assuming they don't fall victim to an upset themselves this week. Brazil had been mentioned as potential quarter-final opponents, with the South Americans perhaps holding a slight edge.

>At the break, those with English ties may have been hoping for a surprise result, potentially offering Tuchel's team a more favorable bracket as they progress through the competition. Instead, the Brazil quarter-final clash remains very much a possibility, though Japan have demonstrated they're far from invincible.