FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 results: Brazil win late, Germany knocked out, Morocco beat the Netherlands
World Cup 2026 Round of 32 results: Brazil faced Japan and Germany played Paraguay in the first round of knockout matches. The Netherlands also battled it out with Morocco for a place in the last 16.
Brazil 2-1 Japan
Brazil became the second nation to reach the last 16 after Canada following a similar last-gasp win against Japan. The round of 32 tie saw the five-time World Champion start on the front foot, with Matheus Cunha and Bruno Guimarães going close for them.
But Japan’s robust play made things difficult for them, and in the 29th minute, the Samurai Blue side took a shock lead. Kaishu Sano made most of a loose ball by Danilo and went past Casemiro before drilling a shot from the edge of the box to beat Alisson in the goal. A Seleção response was expected, but they were kept at an arm’s length by their opponents as halftime ended.
But Brazil came out with more purpose in the second half. Knowing that Japan’s five-man defence wasn’t allowing them to pass the ball as well as they would have liked, they switched to plan B – putting in crosses. With a physical presence upfront, they tested Japan more than they did in the first half and saw Guimarães’ header saved before a goal scramble denied Casemiro.
Casemiro and Brazil then had their reward in the 56th minute when the veteran midfielder headed in from a Gabriel Magalhaes’ ball into the box to bring his side level. With their tails up, Vinicius Jr nearly scored the second with some pure Samba magic. He ran in from the left, side stepped his marker, and beat another defender only to see his shot tipped onto the post by Zion Suzuki.
With extra time looming, the South American side pushed forward. Japan’s Ao Tanaka won the ball at the corner of his box but then lost it in the same place. Guimarães was played in, and he threaded a perfect ball to Gabriel Martinelli, who slotted it past Suzuki to win the game in the 95th minute.
Carlo Ancelotti was calm as ever in the technical area when the winner went in. He will know his side has work to do before their last 16 tie against either Norway or Ivory Coast. For now, the pursuit of a sixth World Cup crown marches on.
Paraguay 1-1 Germany (Paraguay win 4-3 on penalties)
Paraguay stunned four-time champions Germany to advance to the next round after a penalty shootout win in Boston. Playing their first knockout game at the World Cup since 2014, the Germans were disappointing in the first half, with Paraguay looking more lively.
The South American side were good value for their first-ever goal in the knockout match of a World Cup when Julio Enciso headed in Matias Galarza’s ball in the center in the 42nd minute. The second half started more on the same note for Die Mannschaft as they continued to go through the motions.
They then had their leveller when a Florian Wirtz cross from the right side was sharply headed past Orlando Gill by Kai Havertz in the 54th minute. The duo combined again to create another chance, but this time the Paraguay goalkeeper parried away Havertz’s header. In extra time, Germany believed they had the winner.
Defender Jonathan Tah headed in from a corner at the back post, but after VAR intervention the referee adjudged that Waldemar Anton had blocked Gill illegally. Anton had the chance to redeem himself but headed right at Gill from close range as the match went to penalties.
Havertz saw the first spot kick pushed to the right by Gill, and Mauricio finished past Manuel Neuer to put his team ahead. Joshua Kimmich and Gustavo Gomez both scored next while Jamal Musiala and Galarza kept the score ticking with successful penalties. Gill then denied Nick Woltemade putting La Albirroja on the cusp, but Antonio Sanabria sent his shot wide of the left post.
Nadiem Amiri finished calmly to keep his side alive, and the drama continued when Neuer saved from Fabian Balbuena. However, Tah sent his attempt into the Boston skies, and Jose Canale thumped a penalty into the top corner to hand Germany their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout defeat. Sweden or France await Paraguay in the last 16, while Germany head home.
Morocco 1-1 Netherlands (Morocco win 3-2 penalties)
Morocco continued their impressive run at the World Cups with another monumental win. After beating Spain and Portugal in 2022 to become the first African side to reach the semifinals of a World Cup, they knocked out the Netherlands in the round of 32 in this year’s edition.
The game at Estadio Monterrey saw high intensity from both sides as they looked for an early breakthrough. The Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen was the busier of the two as he first denied Neil El Aynaoui from a corner and then tipped Achraf Hakimi’s shot from distance over the bar. For Morocco, Yassine Bounou was also called into action, as he did well to keep out a Micky van de Ven attempt.
The African side then grew into the game in the second half as Hakimi saw his shot come off the crossbar while his other attempt was blocked by van de Ven. The Oranje then took the lead following a counter attack.
Wout Weghorst sent Crysencio Summerville through on goal, and the Moroccan defence failed to deal with his ball to Cody Gakpo, who fired his team ahead. The moment was emotional for the Liverpool forward, who announced the loss of his unborn son on Saturday but chose to remain with his team.
The Atlas Lions didn’t let the goal snuff out their endeavor and saw their patience rewarded immediately into stoppage time. Issa Diop leapt high to thump in Chemsdine Talbi’s curling cross to level the tie. Extra time saw Verbruggen make a stunning close-range save from Soufiane Rahimi to ensure the game went to penalties.
Teun Koopmeiners put his side ahead with a hard left foot strike, and they had the advantage when El Aynaoui hit the crossbar from the spot. But Justin Kluivert also hit the woodwork next, and Rahimi then got lucky with his penalty. Verbruggen dived correctly to his left and got his hands to it, but the ball squirmed past him and into the goal.
Weghorst then powered a finish in the top corner, and Talbi kept things level despite Verbruggen again diving correctly. Quinten Timber and Hakimi both missed their penalties next. Bounou stood tall to save Summerville’s strike, and Ismael Saibari slotted in the bottom left corner to send Morocco to the last 16.
They will now face Canada and will eye another deep run at the World Cup.
READ MORE: FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Canada’s late goal sinks South Africa
