Brazil keep Japan's strange World Cup curse alive

Japan's World Cup campaign is over, and once again the team that knocked them out, Brazil, in this case, is still alive in the tournament. A strange pattern holds: every team to eliminate Japan from a World Cup knockout stage has gone on to reach the final, a run stretching back to 2002. Brazil beat Japan 2–1 in the round of 16, coming from behind after Kaishu Sano had given the Samurai Blue the lead. Vinícius Júnior equalized before Gabriel Martinelli won it in stoppage time. Now, with the tournament rolling into the quarterfinals, Brazil remain in the hunt, and Japan fans are left wondering, again, if their conquerors are destined for the biggest stage of all.