Brazil, Paraguay and Morocco advance in dramatic World Cup knockout day
Paraguay ousted Germany on penalties, Morocco did the same to the Netherlands, and Brazil barely survived Japan as the knockout bracket lost its familiar hierarchy.
Paraguay sent Germany out of the 2026 World Cup on penalties, Morocco did the same to the Netherlands, and Brazil escaped Japan in a knockout day that broke open the tournament’s established order. In the first round of elimination play in the 23rd edition of FIFA’s World Cup, the pressure fell hardest on the traditional powers, and three matches in Boston, Houston and Monterrey showed how thin the margin has become in a 48-team, 104-match event spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Paraguay delivered the first major shock of the knockout phase in Boston Stadium, where it beat Germany 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw before 63,945 spectators. Julio Enciso scored for Paraguay and Kai Havertz equalized for Germany, but the penalty finish pushed Julian Nagelsmann’s side out and sent Paraguay through in one of the night’s defining swings. Jalal Jayed handled the match as referee, and the result underlined how quickly a single missed kick can erase the edge that once came with a bigger badge.
Brazil advanced in Houston Stadium with a 2-1 win over Japan that came down to late composure. Kaishu Sano put Japan ahead, Casemiro pulled Brazil level, and Gabriel Martinelli finished the comeback after Bruno Guimarães provided the decisive assist. FIFA noted that the result kept the Seleção from becoming the first Brazilian side in 60 years to miss the last 16, a narrow escape that said as much about Brazil’s vulnerability as its resilience. Bruno Guimarães, meanwhile, finished the match with four assists in four games in North America, a mark matched in this century only by Michael Ballack in 2002, Francesco Totti in 2006 and Juan Cuadrado in 2014.
Morocco completed the upheaval in Monterrey, where it equalized late and eliminated the Netherlands on penalties before 51,243 fans in Monterrey Stadium. The city closed its World Cup run as the second host venue to exit the tournament after Guadalajara, ending a stretch that added to Monterrey’s place in World Cup history. It had hosted eight matches in 1986, and Sunday’s game brought its total to 12. For the tournament’s biggest names, the message was stark: depth, discipline and nerve now matter as much as pedigree.
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