Coming in, Brazil were already guaranteed a place in the next round, while Japan needed the win to have any chance.
Japan surprised the whole world by taking the lead on Brazil with a goal after 34 minutes.
Keiji Tamada was the scorer.
On the last touch in injury time before the interval, Brazil spoiled what would have been an ecstatic half-time Japanese locker room.
Two headers were better than one when Ronaldo, who has been heavily criticized lately as being slow and fat - including by none other than the president of Brazil himself - headed home for goal, after receiving a setup from the head of Cicinho.
It was Ronaldo's first goal of the tournament, leaving him one behind the World Cup's all time leading scorer, West Germany's Gerd Muller.
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The Brazilians sent the ball into the post in the 51st minute.
Two minutes later and the Brazilians took the lead.
It was a stunning long range missile by Juninho that found the back of the net.
Only six minutes passed and Brazil scored their third.
Gilberto hit a hard grounder that found a hole into goal.
If Japan weren't done in by now, they certainly were in the 81st minute.
That was when Ronaldo leveled Gerd Muller's record of 14 World Cup goals by scoring Brazil's fourth and final goal of the match.
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