Germany, Netherlands Out: World Cup Results Explained

Paraguay eliminated Germany on penalties, Morocco knocked out the Netherlands on penalties after extra time, and Brazil came from behind to beat Japan, completing a dramatic set of Round of 32 results played on Monday, June 29, in host-city local time across the United States and Mexico. All three of Monday's results finished after midnight in India, stretching into the morning of June 30 IST.

Canada had opened the round a day earlier, beating South Africa 1–0 in Los Angeles to win its first-ever World Cup knockout match.

What happened across the four matches

The Round of 32 began Sunday, June 28, with Canada's win over South Africa. Stephen Eustáquio scored in the second minute of stoppage time, giving Canada its first World Cup knockout victory and making it the first Concacaf side to advance past a World Cup knockout match since Costa Rica beat Greece on penalties in the 2014 Round of 16.

Three more matches followed on Monday, June 29, local time. Brazil beat Japan 2–1 in Houston. Germany lost to Paraguay 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in Foxborough. The Netherlands fell to Morocco 3–2 on penalties after their own 1–1 draw in Monterrey. Al Jazeera and Reuters both described Paraguay's win as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, citing the 31-place gap between the two teams in FIFA's world rankings.

Germany, four-time champions, and the Netherlands, three-time runners-up but never winners of the tournament, both exited on the same day.

Germany's penalty shootout exit

Paraguay took a first-half lead through Julio Enciso, who headed in from Matías Galarza's cross in the 42nd minute. Kai Havertz equalized for Germany in the 54th minute with a glancing header from a Florian Wirtz delivery.

Jonathan Tah thought he had won it for Germany with a header in extra time, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review ruled that Waldemar Anton had fouled Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

The match went to penalties at 1–1. Gill saved attempts from both Havertz and Nick Woltemade. Tah then put Germany's sudden-death kick over the bar, and José Canale converted to send Paraguay through 4–3. It was Germany's first penalty shootout defeat at a FIFA World Cup, the team had never previously lost one at the tournament.

Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill told reporters after the match, "We had to analyze every player, every detail.” Defender José Canale said the team felt it deserved another game given everything it had been through, remarks also reported by AP.

Paraguay qualified from Group D in third place and will now face the winner of France against Sweden in Philadelphia on Saturday, July 4.

Morocco's penalty shootout win over the Netherlands

Cody Gakpo put the Netherlands ahead in the 72nd minute. Morocco's Issa Diop equalized in stoppage time, heading in from a Chemsdine Talbi cross to force extra time.

Neither side scored in the additional 30 minutes, sending the match to penalties. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved a spot-kick from Crysencio Summerville, while Achraf Hakimi struck the post for Morocco. A penalty from Soufiane Rahimi appeared to be saved by Bart Verbruggen before slipping under him and crossing the line. Ismael Saibari then converted the decisive kick, giving Morocco a 3–2 shootout win.

Morocco, semifinalists at the 2022 tournament, will now play Canada in Houston on Saturday, July 4. Gakpo played the match two days after he and his partner announced the loss of their unborn child, a personal circumstance reported with restraint by Reuters and other wire services covering the game.

Brazil's stoppage-time win over Japan

Japan led first. Kaishu Sano scored in the 29th minute after intercepting a misplaced Brazilian pass and driving a shot past goalkeeper Alisson. It was his first international goal.

Casemiro equalized for Brazil in the 56th minute, heading home a cross from Gabriel Magalhães. The match stayed level until deep into stoppage time, when substitute Gabriel Martinelli, set up by a pass from Bruno Guimarães, beat goalkeeper Zion Suzuki at the far post. FIFA's match summary and Reuters both list the goal in the 95th minute, though some outlets recorded the broadcast clock at the 96th minute.

Japan, runners-up in Group F behind the Netherlands, remain without a World Cup knockout-stage win after five attempts across eight tournaments. Brazil won Group C without losing a match and next face the winner of Côte d'Ivoire against Norway, on Sunday, July 5, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Today's Round of 32 fixtures

Three matches are scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, local time: Côte d'Ivoire against Norway in Arlington, Texas, France against Sweden in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Mexico against Ecuador in Mexico City. For Indian viewers, the France–Sweden and Mexico–Ecuador matches will run into the early hours of July 1 IST.

The Round of 32 follows the format introduced for this 48-team edition of the tournament, which spans 104 matches across Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 through July 19, as detailed in FIFA's official match schedule.

Paraguay's win over Germany has been described by Reuters and Al Jazeera as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, with Germany ranked 10th by FIFA entering the tournament against Paraguay's 41st-place ranking. Germany's exit and the Netherlands' elimination mean Spain, France, England and Portugal remain the highest-ranked European teams left in the draw, based on FIFA's rankings published before the tournament began.