Gabriel Martinelli inspires Brazil late against Japan

Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench in the 66th minute and decided Brazil's night against Japan with the winner in injury time. The finish came in the 5th minute of added time, off the post and into the net, as Brazil turned a 2-1 game in their favour. Bruno Guimarães supplied the pass, and the reaction after the final whistle was almost as loud as the goal itself.

Martinelli's impact off the bench

The scoring sequence was simple enough. Japan went ahead through Kaishu Sano in the 29th minute, Casemiro levelled on 56 minutes, and Martinelli finished the comeback after coming on in the 66th minute. The cleanest way to read the match is that Brazil found their edge late, and Martinelli delivered it in one decisive touch.

He did it in 33 minutes of action, with one shot on target and a 7.5 rating. That is the sort of cameo coaches take seriously. He was not on the pitch long, but the output was direct: one goal, one winner, and a result Brazil had to work for.

The praise around the winner

Guimarães did not hold back afterwards. Speaking to football365.com, he said: "We believed until the end. They were very compact; it was very difficult to get through. The coach asked us to put pressure on the area. It's the team spirit, the group spirit. It's great that the player who came off the bench secured our qualification. Martinelli is sensational, I'm very happy."

Martinelli's own reaction was emotional, not polished. He said: "I don't even have words to describe the joy in my heart seeing the Brazilian people happy with the qualification... I knew I would have another opportunity and thank God I managed to score the winning goal."

There was also a tactical note worth keeping in view. Martinelli said that at Arsenal he does not play centrally, but Carlo Ancelotti has been talking to him about how he can play in that role. That gives Brazil another option with a winger who is comfortable attacking space and finishing moves rather than just starting them.

The post-match support came from inside the squad too. Vinícius Júnior, Gabriel Magalhães and Matheus Cunha all praised Martinelli after the winner, which is usually what happens when a substitute changes the game rather than simply enters it. Guimarães' assist and Martinelli's finish made the decisive action clear, and Brazil's bench earned the biggest share of the credit on the night.