China fought back from behind in the fifth set to beat Brazil 3-2 in the FIVB women's volleyball nations league in Nagoya on Wednesday.
The Chinese side regained the lead by winning the third 25-20 but the South American team made it 2-2 and brought the game into the short decider.
Brazil looked likely to seal the victory but they lost a 12-10 lead. China scored five points in a row to complete the upset 15-12, including two successful blocks from captain Yuan Xinyue.
Chinese spiker Li Yingying scored a game-high 26 points and Wang Yunlu added 18.
"Our players have shown their burning desire to win the match at the crucial moment," said China's head coach Cai Bin. "Credit must be given to everybody of our team because Brazil is always a very strong team."
It was China's first match since the world championships last October. They will take on Germany on Friday.
