Brazil survived a major scare to book their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, defeating Japan 2-1 in a dramatic round of 32 encounter at Houston’s NRG Stadium on Monday, June 29. Despite the win, a notable absentee from the action was Neymar Jr. The Brazilian superstar remained on the bench throughout the contest, prompting questions about why coach Carlo Ancelotti chose not to introduce him.Explaining his decision after the match, Ancelotti revealed that he had planned to use Neymar only if the game headed towards extra time.“I spoke with Ney (Neymar). If we don’t draw, he will come to 60 minutes. Since we drew, I preserved it for the 30 minutes of extra time,” Ancelotti told the broadcaster.With Brazil finding the winner in stoppage time, extra time was never needed, meaning Neymar remained an unused substitute despite being fit enough to feature. Ancelotti later confirmed that the veteran striker had been part of his contingency plan but was not needed.Brazil will now turn their attention to the Round of 16, where they will face the winners of the Norway vs Ivory Coast clash at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 3.Coming into the match, Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner as Brazil mounted a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Japan 2-1, Japan stunned the five-time world champions in the first half when Kaishu Sano intercepted a free ball in their own half. Sano embarked on a brilliant solo 40-yard sprint before drilling a fierce strike past Alisson to make it 1-0.Ancelotti also praised Japan for pushing Brazil throughout the competition and said his side would need to improve despite advancing to the knockout stage.“Japan made us suffer for ninety-five minutes. They deserved our respect, not exaggerated celebrations. Brazil passed, but we know we have to improve. Tonight we celebrate the qualification, but tomorrow we go back to work because the World Cup is only more difficult from here,” he said.