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The matches on this Monday in the feature three high-stakes clashes in the Round of 32: Brazil faces Japan in Houston, Germany goes up against Paraguay in Boston, and Netherlands collides with Morocco in Monterrey, with three spots in the Round of 16 up for grabs.
This is the first time in history that the tournament includes a round of 32, a result of the expanded format featuring 48 teams debuting in this edition held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Brazil tests its candidacy against Japan
La Canarinha arrives as one of the favorites of the tournament after finishing the group stage as the leader of Group C with seven points. Following an initial draw against Morocco, Carlo Ancelotti's team found their best form with two consecutive 3-0 victories against Haiti and Scotland.
The standout player has been Vinícius Júnior, who has scored four goals —including a brace against Scotland— and is the tournament's second-highest scorer, only behind Lionel Messi.
In front will be a Japanese team that has been one of the revelations of the tournament: they advanced from Group F with draws against the Netherlands and Sweden, and a victory over Tunisia. The Asians have never progressed past the Round of 16 in a World Cup and will be looking to create one of the biggest surprises in history by eliminating the five-time champion.
Germany needs to reconnect with its best football
The Mannschaft started the tournament with a spectacular 7-1 victory over Curaçao, but their performance began to decline: the narrow win against Ivory Coast and the 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in the final match of Group E raised doubts about their true level.
Paraguay comes in the opposite direction, on the rise. After being thrashed by the United States in their debut, the Albirroja reacted with a victory over Turkey and a 0-0 draw with Australia, which was enough to qualify as the best third-place team from Group D with four points.
The team led by Gustavo Alfaro hadn't reached the Round of 32 since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when they made it to the quarter-finals. The only previous World Cup encounter between the two teams dates back to Korea-Japan 2002, when Germany eliminated Paraguay 1-0 with a goal from Oliver Neuville in the 88th minute.
Netherlands and Morocco conclude the day in Monterrey
The most exciting match of the day will pit two teams against each other, both of whom arrive with seven points each from the group stage. The Dutch, undefeated leaders of Group F, scored 10 goals in three matches and decisively defeated Sweden and Tunisia.
Morocco, a historic semifinalist in Qatar 2022, confirmed its international growth by drawing with Brazil and defeating Scotland and Haiti to advance as the runner-up of Group C.
The match will take place at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, which has a capacity of 53,500 spectators, marking the last game that this venue will host in the tournament. The winner will face Canada in the round of 16, a team that has already secured its spot by defeating South Africa 1-0 on Sunday.
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