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Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner  Brazil came from behind to beat Japan and set up a World Cup last-16 tie against Norway or Ivory Coast. Author | James Y Stadium | Houston Stadium With only seconds remaining, Brazil won the ball back on the edge of the Japan penalty area and Bruno Guimaraes slipped a pass into Martinelli, who took a touch before calmly steering his finish in off the post. Watch | Video from SportsIllustrated  It was a cruel ending for Japan, who had matched Brazil throughout the first half and defended resolutely after the interval. Carlo Ancelotti's side, however, kept pressing and were rewarded at the very end. The key moments from the match Japan looked composed before the break and took the lead when Kaishu Sano seized on Danilo's loose pass, surged past Casemiro and drilled a low finish into the bottom corner. Brazil struggled to respond before half-time but emerged with greater purpose after the restart. Casemiro climbed highest t...

Tunisia's miserable World Cup campaign continued Their elimination at the group stage was confirmed by defeat against Japan. Author  | Jamie P Stadium  | Estadio Monterrey After a turbulent week in which they suffered a 5-1 loss to Sweden, dismissed Sabri Lamouchi and appointed former Saudi Arabia manager Herve Renard as head coach, they fell behind inside four minutes in Guadalupe, Mexico. A well-organised Japan side opened the scoring with a swift counter-attack that ended with Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada poking home from close range at Monterrey Stadium. It was not long before Japan struck again. Ayase Ueda produced a fine finish, driving the ball through a defender's legs and into the far corner from the edge of the area. Watch  |  Highlights from BBC Sport Tunisia looked short of ideas for much of the contest and repeatedly afforded Japan too much space, allowing them to showcase their fluid, possession-based approach. Junya Ito added a third when...

The best 45 minutes of the tournament so far came in this match... Daichi Kamada's late header earned Japan a deserved point against the Netherlands in their opening World Cup match in Dallas. Author  | Jamie P Stadium  | Dallas Stadium One of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the group stage took time to ignite before developing into a gripping second-half contest, with the Dutch side's Premier League contingent appearing to have put them on course for a valuable victory. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and West Ham United forward Crysencio Summerville found the net before Crystal Palace's Kamada struck with a clever header, diverting Koki Ogawa's effort with two minutes remaining to secure a draw. READ MORE | Germany 7 - 1 Curaçao Many were expecting an early World Cup classic but it just didn't happen initially. Ronald Koeman's side carried the greater threat in a subdued first half, with Donyell Malen proving the main danger and forcing three saves from...

A match that could be useful preparation for the upcoming World Cup. Mexico faces Japan on Sunday in their first match since winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Author | Ajay Stadium | Oakland Coliseum With both sides already assured of a place at the 2026 World Cup, the meeting offers a valuable test and a chance to sharpen preparations for the tournament. It has been a successful period for Mexico In the summer, they became the most successful nation in Gold Cup history. Javier Aguirre’s men went unbeaten through the tournament, opening with a 3-2 win over the Dominican Republic, followed by a 2-0 victory against Suriname and a goalless draw with Costa Rica in the group stage. They went on to beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the quarter-finals, Honduras 1-0 in the semi-finals and then sealed the crown in the final by beating the hosts United States. That success came just months after their CONCACAF Nations League victory in March, where they defeated Panama 2-1.  READ MORE |  Spor...