Brazil, Paraguay, and Morocco are through to the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 after eliminating Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands, respectively, earlier today. While many expected this outcome from the Samba Boys, the same cannot be said for La Albirroja and the Atlas Lions.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side earned their Round of 32 win the hard way, as they overcame an early one-goal deficit, and Paraguay and Morocco came up clutch during their penalty shootouts against their European counterparts. These three countries will join Canada, who are set to face Morocco after beating South Africa earlier, in the next round.
These World Cup 2026 results had Japan in tears, while Germany and the Netherlands will be having some soul-searching after exiting the quadrennial tournament earlier than expected, as the SBOTOP World Cup 2026 odds had Die Mannschaft and the Oranje reaching at least the quarter-finals.
Brazil 2-1 Japan
It felt like this match was about to go to extra time, but Brazil struck late to progress to the Round of 16 earlier today to eliminate Japan.
Brazil actually started well, with Matheus Cunha forcing Zion Suzuki into a low stop down to his right, and Bruno Guimaraes curled narrowly wide of the far post after a corner. However, they fell behind in the 29th minute, as Kaishu Sano intercepted Danilo’s loose pass and drove past Casemiro for a sharp, low shot just outside the box.
Vinicius Jr. and Cunha tried their luck from distance, but to no avail. However, Brazil played with more intent in the second half and got rewarded for it. After being denied twice in three minutes, Casemiro scored the equaliser for Brazil in the 56th minute by heading in Gabriel Magalhaes’ cross. Five of Casemiro’s 10 goals for the Samba Boys have been headers, and he has scored eight such goals for Manchester United in 2025-26.
Brazil completed the comeback during stoppage time after forcing Ao Tanaka to make a costly turnover at the edge of the box. Bruno Guimaraes received the ball in the middle, and he picked out Gabriel Martinelli, who came off the bench and slotted home the winner.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (aet, 3-4 on pens)
The first penalty shootout of this year’s World Cup ended in one of the most shocking results in recent memory, as Paraguay dumped Germany out of the quadrennial tournament.
Paraguay showed their intent from the start, with Julio Enciso and Junior Alonso forcing Manuel Neuer into action inside the opening two minutes. La Albirroja capitalised on Die Mannschaft’s sluggish start, as their breakthrough happened in the 42nd minute, when Enciso headed home Matias Galarza’s cross. Believe it or not, it was Paraguay’s first-ever goal in the knockout stage at the World Cup in what was their sixth such match.
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann introduced Leon Goretzka for the second half. But Germany’s poor performance continued, as they almost went down 2-0, with Neuer stopping Enciso after a sloppy mistake by Joshua Kimmich. Germany eventually levelled the score, as Kai Havertz scored off a glancing header from Florian Wirtz’s drilled cross during the 54th minute.
Germany’s decisive breakthrough seemed to have arrived during the 105th minute, as Nathaniel Brown delivered a superb corner kick for Jonathan Tah to head home. But after a VAR check, the referee confirmed a controversial foul on Waldemar Anton for his contact with goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
And it was Tah who missed Germany’s final kick of the game, as his penalty attempt sailed over the crossbar before Jose Canale converted the winning penalty.
Netherlands 1-1 Morocco (aet, 2-3 on pens)
Perhaps Morocco are on their way to replicate their Cinderella run in 2022, as they outlasted the Netherlands at Estadio Monterrey, with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou as the hero.
After missed chances from both sides in the first half, the Netherlands threatened to take the game when Cody Gakpo converted in transition after receiving the ball from a stumbling Crysencio Summerville in the 72nd minute.
But Morocco refused to give up and found the leveller in stoppage time, as Chemsdine Talbi’s cross found its way to Issa Diop, whose towering header got past Virgil van Dijk and Teun Koopmeiners.
Koopmeiners converted the first penalty before Neil El Aynaoui and Justin Kluivert missed theirs. The penalty shootout was level at 2-2 after goals from Soufiane Rahimi, Chemsdine Talbi, and Wout Weghorst, and misses from Quinten Timber and Achraf Hakimi. Yassine Bounou pulled off a fantastic save of Crysencio Summerville’s attempt, and Ismael Saibari knocked in the winning penalty, sparking wild Morocco celebrations.
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