Ancelotti admits Brazil was set for extra time before Martinelli's late winner

Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed that his team was already contemplating extra time in their World Cup Round of 16 match against Japan. The Brazilian squad was mentally preparing for a potential overtime period until Gabriel Martinelli scored the decisive goal in the 96th minute, securing a 2-1 victory.

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We were thinking about extra time, but the team was also prepared for it.

Ancelotti, speaking at the post-match press conference, admitted that the team was ready for extra time but also prepared to score at any moment. He addressed questions about player substitutions, explaining that Neymar was slated to enter the game during extra time if the score remained level. However, Martinelli's late heroics altered those plans.

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We had discussed it. If we didn't tie before the 60th minute, I was going to put him in. Then I thought about putting him in during extra time because he is doing well. Everything was clear with him.

The Italian manager expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, particularly in the second half, and highlighted their confidence in securing at least an equalizer. He acknowledged that suffering is a normal part of knockout football in the World Cup, noting that Brazil faced a strong and well-organized Japanese opponent. Ancelotti contrasted this performance with their first-half display against Morocco in the group stage, indicating improvement.

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We have to keep improving, working. Resting is also very important and let's see who the next opponent will be.

Brazil's win, sealed by goals from Casemiro and Martinelli, propels them into the next round, where they will face either Norway or Ivory Coast. Ancelotti stressed the importance of rest and continued work as they progress through the tournament.

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Nobody thought we couldn't score.