Japan produced a stunning comeback victory of their own, defeating Brazil 3-2 in a thrilling international friendly at the National Stadium in Singapore on Saturday, November 14, 2026, despite an impressive two-goal performance from Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior.
The Samurai Blue raced into a commanding 2-0 lead inside the opening 19 minutes, exposing Brazil’s defensive weaknesses and putting Carlo Ancelotti’s side under immediate pressure.
Takefusa Kubo opened the scoring in the 15th minute after exploiting space in the Brazilian defence before Keito Nakamura doubled Japan’s advantage four minutes later, finishing Shuto Nakano’s delivery into the penalty area.
Brazil responded through Vinícius Júnior, who produced a spectacular long-range finish in the 33rd minute to reduce the deficit to 2-1 before half-time.
The Real Madrid forward continued his outstanding performance after the break, completing Brazil’s comeback in the 75th minute with another brilliant strike. Assisted by Bruno Guimarães from a short corner, Vinícius cut inside before curling the ball into the net, bringing the Seleção level at 2-2.
Brazil subsequently pushed for a winner, with substitute Endrick coming agonisingly close to completing the turnaround when his powerful effort struck the crossbar.
However, Japan had the final say. With the match seemingly heading for a draw, substitute Tatsuhiro Sakamoto delivered the decisive blow in the 91st minute, firing home after a loose ball fell favourably inside Brazil’s penalty area to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory for Japan.
Red cards for Ancelotti and Raphinha
The dramatic finish was followed by heated confrontations as Brazilian players and officials protested against the referee’s decision not to award a foul in the build-up to Japan’s winning goal.
Brazil believed João Gomes had been fouled during the move that led to Sakamoto’s decisive strike. The protests resulted in straight red cards for Ancelotti and Raphinha, who had already been substituted. Both were dismissed following their reactions to the decision.
Japan secure another famous victory
The result represents another significant victory for Japan against Brazil, with the Samurai Blue demonstrating their ability to compete against one of international football’s most successful national teams.
For Brazil, Vinícius Júnior’s outstanding brace provided a major positive, but defensive shortcomings and the controversial closing stages overshadowed their attacking recovery.
Japan will face Paraguay on November 17, while Brazil are scheduled to take on Singapore as both teams continue their international preparations.
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