Japan stun Brazil with disciplined display to lead at halftime

Japan produced a superb first-half performance to take a shock 1-0 lead over five-time champions Brazil in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash at Houston Stadium.

Kaishu Sano broke the deadlock in the 29th minute with a brilliant solo effort, capitalising on Brazil's defensive lapse before calmly finishing past Alisson.

Despite enjoying around 74 percent possession and controlling much of the game, Brazil struggled to turn their dominance into clear-cut chances against Japan's compact five-man defence.

Carlo Ancelotti retained the same starting XI that defeated Scotland 3-0 in the group stage, but stars including Vinicius Junior, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Guimaraes found little space as Hajime Moriyasu's well-organised side frustrated the South Americans throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Brazil registered eight attempts, with only two on target, while Japan made their lone shot count. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki remained composed under constant pressure, and Japan's disciplined defending kept the Selecao scoreless heading into the break.

The winner of the match will advance to the Round of 16 to face either Norway or Ivory Coast.