Casemiro claimed Brazil have the squad to win the World Cup after surviving a major scare to edge into the round of 16 with a 2-1 win over Japan.
The Asian giants went ahead thanks to Kaishu Sano’s brilliant goal approaching the half hour mark and held that advantage until 11 minutes into the second half when Casemiro headed home.
The game appeared to be heading for an extra 30 minutes only for substitute Gabriel Martinelli to prod home the winner five minutes into injury time.
It was a deserved victory for the five-time world champions, who had 19 shots compared to Japan’s five, with seven on target.
Martinelli was just one of several substitutes to make a positive impact for Carlo Ancelotti’s men and Casemiro feels their strength in depth puts them in a good position to go all the way.
“The team’s greatest strength was our mindset,” said the former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder who seems set to join Inter Miami this summer.
“We kept up the pressure in our attacking play. In a World Cup, it is crucial to value the players coming off the bench. Endrick came on and played very well today, Martinelli is another great player, and Rayan has been replacing Raphinha really well. That’s the spirit, and this is the squad to win the World Cup.”
Martinelli admits ‘joy in his heart’ after Brazil winner
For Martinelli it was a moment to cherish, scoring his first goal for Brazil in a major tournament.
The Arsenal forward said: “I can’t find the words to describe the joy in my heart. Seeing all those fans on their feet, my parents, my friends… I can’t explain it. After hitting the woodwork, I knew I’d get another chance.
“I honestly don’t have the words. I’m just happy I was able to help the team, whether I’m playing on the left or through the middle. The most important thing is helping the team.”
The veteran Italian said: “We didn’t lose our patience, we had a lot of resources on the pitch and on the bench. Japan isn’t an easy opponent, it’s very organised and intense.
“I was saving Neymar for extra time. He was going to enter the pitch on minute 105 if we hadn’t scored the second goal. I didn’t want to change the structure because the team was playing well.”
Japan fade after bright start
Defeat was a sickener for Japan, who maintained their record of having never won a knockout game at the World Cup.
Hajime Moriyasu’s tactics worked perfectly in the first half but they fell away badly after the break.
He said: “I’m very disappointed that we have to leave the tournament at this stage, but the players gave their all today, as they did throughout the journey to reach this point. The coaching staff also worked tirelessly to support the players.
“Right now I’m devastated after giving everything we had, but I want to accept this result and use it to become an even stronger team.”
