Japan stun Brazil 3-2 as Sakamoto scores 91st-minute winner
Japan beat Brazil 3-2 in a thrilling international friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore on Saturday, with substitute Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scoring a 91st-minute winner after Vinicius Junior’s brilliant brace had dragged Brazil back from two goals down.
Japan race into a two-goal lead
Japan made a flying start in the Mizuho Blue Challenge friendly, racing into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 19 minutes. Takefusa Kubo opened the scoring in the 15th minute, running from the halfway line before beating goalkeeper Pedro Morisco with a low shot. Four minutes later, Keito Nakamura doubled the lead, finishing calmly from Shuto Nakano’s low cross.
The early goals stunned Brazil, who had beaten Japan 2-1 in the round of 32 at the World Cup in June and arrived in Singapore as favourites for the first stop of their Asian tour.
Vinicius Junior’s brace brings Brazil level
Vinicius Junior then produced two spectacular goals to bring Brazil back into the match. The Real Madrid winger smashed home a stunning strike from outside the penalty area in the 33rd minute to make it 2-1, and then equalised in the 75th minute, latching onto a Bruno Guimaraes pass after a corner and curling an effort in off the post.
Brazil looked the more likely winners at that stage, but the drama was only beginning.
Sakamoto’s late winner and red cards
In the first minute of stoppage time, substitute Tatsuhiro Sakamoto pounced on a loose ball after Kodai Sano’s deflected effort and fired home from close range to seal a famous 3-2 win for Japan. It was Sakamoto’s first international goal, and it sparked wild celebrations among the 38,688 fans at the National Stadium.
The ending turned chaotic for Brazil. Captain Raphinha was sent off a minute after the winner, and head coach Carlo Ancelotti was also shown a red card after protesting from the bench. It was Ancelotti’s fifth defeat in 21 matches in charge of Brazil.
What it means
The result was Japan’s second win over Brazil in 13 months and their first on foreign soil, a measure of revenge for their World Cup elimination in June. Japan now carry their momentum into another friendly against Paraguay on Tuesday, 17 November, while Brazil look to bounce back against hosts Singapore on the same day.
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Source: NBC Sports / Reuters (14 November 2026)