Round of 32 heats up with Brazil - Japan, Netherlands - Morocco

AP:
The World Cup's knockout stage is already providing some premier matchups in the round of 32.
It's part of a bracket that features an easier road for some teams than others.
There are three games today  starting with Brazil vs Japan in Houston. The Brazilians — who won Group C — are five-time World Cup champions but face  tough opponents in Japan, who are ranked No. 17 in the world. The Japanese finished second in Group F with one win and two draws.
Group E winners Germany face Paraguay in the day's second game. Germany scored 10 goals in the group stage, tied for the most of any team. Paraguay bounced back from a 4-1 loss to the United States by beating Turkey and fighting to a draw with Australia to narrowly qualify for the knockout stage after finishing third in Group D.
The nightcap is a matchup of top-10 teams when the Netherlands face Morocco. The Dutch are often considered the best country to never win a World Cup, while Morocco have jumped into football's elite over the past few years after a surprise run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals in Qatar.

BRAZIL -JAPAN

These countries have extremely strong ties with Brazil being home to about 2.7 million Japanese descendants, which is the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.
Those ties extend to  football where Brazilian superstar Zico moved to Japan in 1991 to play for the Kashima Antlers and help build Japan’s professional football cer network. He managed the Japan national team from 2002-06, leading the team to the World Cup in 2006.
It was in that World Cup where these teams had their first and only meeting in the tournament with Brazil notching a 4-1 victory.
Brazil lead the overall series with 11 wins. The teams have played to two draws and Japan collected their  first-ever win over Brazil in a friendly in Tokyo in October. Japan trailed 2-0 at halftime before rallying for the 3-2 victory.
Coach Hajime Moriyasu thinks that win will impact how Brazil approach his team Monday.
“They will be so much more motivated to play against us,” he said. “They are intent on winning against us. Because of that we feel that the match will be very intense.”
The winners will face the winners of Ivory Coast-Norway on July 5 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

FIRST TIME SINCE 2014

Germany are back in the knockout round for the first time since the 2014 final in Brazil when the Germans beat Argentina 1-0 to capture their fourth World Cup title.
Leading those hopes will be coach Julian Naglesmann. At 38 years and 341 days old on Monday, he will be the youngest manager in the knockout round since France’s Henri Michel in the 1986.
Paraguay have appeared in five knockout stage games, but have failed to score in each. They  advanced only once in those games, winning on penalty kicks against Japan in the round of 16 in 2010.
“They play very defensive football," Naglesmann said of Paraguay. "They are  uncomfortable opponents for us and it’s going to ask a lot of us.”
Paraguay are expected to be without defender Omar Alderete, who is doubtful with a knee injury he suffered in the second half of  their  0-0 draw against Australia. Jose Canale is expected to start in his place.
“This will be a match all about details," Paraguay captain Gustavo Gómez said. "We need to be concentrated to compete to take advantage of all the opportunities we might have.”
The winners will face the winners of France and Sweden on July 4 in Philadelphia.

NETHERLANDS VS MOROCCO
Tonight’s matchup between the Netherlands and Morocco will be the highest ranked match in the round of 32.
The Netherlands — ranked No. 7 — topped Group F after a draw against Japan and big wins over Sweden and Tunisia. Sixth-ranked Morocco fought to a 1-1 draw against Brazil in their opener before beating Scotland and Haiti to finish second in Group C.
The Netherlands have long held the moniker of the best never to have won the tournament, having lost all three finals  they have played. The Dutch’s most recent final loss was to Spain in extra time in 2010, which was also the last time the Netherlands lost a World Cup game in 120 minutes.
The Dutch haven’t lost in six previous World Cup matches against African countries.
In 2022, Morocco defeated Spain and Portugal to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup before losing to France. The Atlas Lions were also declared winners of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025.
“The team is of course very well prepared,” Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou said. “We will face whatever comes in the 90 (minutes), 120 (minutes) or penalty kicks. We have great football players and the experience to face these things.”
The Netherlands beat Morocco 2-1 in 1994, which was the only other World Cup meeting between the two.
The winners will face Canada in the round of 16 on Saturday in Houston.