Three Round of 32 fixtures, three favourites through, but only one of the three looked anything like comfortable. Brazil needed an Endrick winner in stoppage time to edge Japan 2-1 in Houston. Germany swept Scotland aside 3-0 at Foxborough behind a Florian Wirtz performance that has rearranged the tournament's top-scorer market. Netherlands required extra time to dispatch Morocco 2-1 in Guadalajara after Brahim Díaz dragged the Atlas Lions level deep into the second half. Here is what Monday told us.
Brazil 2 · 1 Japan · NRG Stadium, Houston
Brazil were ahead inside thirteen minutes and behind themselves for most of the next eighty. Vinícius Jr opened the scoring with a cut-in from the left and a right-footed finish that took a small deflection off Itakura on the way in — the kind of goal he has scored ten times for Real Madrid and now twice in this World Cup. The Carlo Ancelotti picture for the next twenty minutes was a manager watching his side dominate possession without ever looking dangerous with it.
Japan equalised on the stroke of half-time. A Wataru Endo intercept on the edge of the Brazil box sprung Kaoru Mitoma on the counter; he beat Vanderson on the outside, cut back, and Ayase Ueda finished first time from the penalty spot past Bento. The second-half belonged to Hajime Moriyasu's side for long stretches — Takefusa Kubo had a goal ruled out for a soft offside, Mitoma curled one onto the post, Brazil's midfield was overrun by Endo and Tanaka in the way Brazil midfields were not supposed to be overrun anymore.
The winner came in the second of seven added minutes. Substitute Raphinha drew two defenders down the right and fed Endrick at the back post; the 19-year-old's volley took a wicked deflection off Tomiyasu and ended in the net. Brazil through, Brazil not really convincing, and the body language at the final whistle suggested Ancelotti knows it. Vinícius is the team's best player by a clear distance and the rest is a question.
Germany 3 · 0 Scotland · Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
The fixture of the day on paper became a Florian Wirtz showreel. Germany were 2-0 up by the half-hour and the remainder of the match was a controlled exercise in not breaking sweat. Wirtz opened the scoring on twelve minutes with a curling left-footed finish from twenty yards that went in via the underside of the crossbar — the goal of the tournament so far for any midfielder. Jamal Musiala doubled the lead on thirty-one, finishing a five-pass move that included three first-time touches and ended with Joshua Kimmich's outside-of-the-foot pass.
Scotland's set-piece programme — the angle pre-match — never got started. Steve Clarke's side won three corners in 90 minutes and put only one of them into the box with any quality. The Tah-Schlotterbeck pairing dealt with whatever arrived. Germany's third came in the 71st minute from Niclas Füllkrug, who arrived as a substitute and headed in a Wirtz cross at the far post. Three goals, three different scorers, zero shots on target conceded.
The wider read on Germany after three group games and a knockout: Julian Nagelsmann's side has now scored thirteen and conceded one across four matches. The midfield is the best in the tournament. The injury concern remains Antonio Rüdiger, who came off after sixty with a tight hamstring; Nagelsmann told the post-match presser it was precautionary. For Scotland, the run to the Round of 32 stands as the best finish in 28 years.
Netherlands 2 · 1 Morocco (AET) · Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
The closest game on paper became the closest game on the pitch. Cody Gakpo gave Netherlands the lead on nineteen minutes — a Frenkie de Jong through-ball, one touch to set, one touch to finish past Bounou — and for an hour Ronald Koeman's side looked in control. Then Morocco's altitude advantage began to bite. Dutch legs slowed; Achraf Hakimi's overlaps got longer; the crosses started arriving.
The equaliser came on seventy-eight. Brahim Díaz, on as a second-half substitute, picked the ball up forty yards out, drove past Tijjani Reijnders and curled a left-footed shot beyond Bart Verbruggen's right hand. Morocco's bench erupted. The closing twelve minutes were Morocco pressing, Netherlands hanging on, the thin Guadalajara air doing its job.
Extra time settled it. Memphis Depay won a free kick on the edge of the box in the 104th minute; Cody Gakpo's set piece was punched out by Bounou and Virgil van Dijk arrived to stab the rebound home from six yards. The winner. Morocco had one more chance — a Yousef En-Nesyri header that drifted wide of the far post in the 118th minute — and that was it. Walid Regragui's side leaves the tournament with the same dignity the 2022 vintage did. Netherlands through, but only just.
Three reads on the bracket
The favourites all advanced, but two of three had to ride out a serious scare. That matters going into the Round of 16. Brazil, who play England or Senegal on Saturday, are carrying real defensive issues — and the body-language gap between this side and the 2022 vintage is wider than the results suggest. Netherlands have a midfield that may not be able to play 120-minute games back-to-back. Germany are the one team in the bracket who looks like they could win 90-minute games without ever entering a fifth gear.
- Germany are the tournament favourite now. Two weeks ago the markets had France or Spain. Wirtz's tournament is rewriting the price.
- Vinícius is keeping Brazil alive. Two goals each in three group games and the knockout. Without him the team has scored once from open play in 360 minutes.
- The altitude question is back. Three Guadalajara fixtures, three of them tighter than the form suggested. Mexico City is next.
What's on Tuesday
The Round of 32 picks up its three-a-day cadence today. Ecuador play France in Arlington at 1 p.m. ET, Norway face Sweden at MetLife at 5 p.m., and Mexico host Cape Verde at the Azteca at 9 p.m. The preview is up now on the Scorelisto blog, with live scores across all three matches on the soccer page.
FAQ
Who scored for Brazil? Vinícius Jr (13') and Endrick (90+2'). Ayase Ueda equalised for Japan in first-half stoppage time.
Who do Germany play next? The winner of Mexico vs Cape Verde, in the Round of 16 on Sunday July 5 in Atlanta.
Did Morocco's run end with a complaint? No. Walid Regragui called it a "proud exit" in the post-match presser. Brahim Díaz's late equaliser earned an ovation from the Akron crowd.
What does Netherlands' route look like now? They face the Belgium vs South Africa winner in Seattle on Sunday July 5. Belgium are clear favourites in Wednesday's tie.
Where can I watch the rest of the bracket? Live scores, lineups and minute-by-minute coverage for every remaining Round of 32 fixture are on Scorelisto's soccer page.