Monday June 29 recap — Martinelli, Paraguay stun Germany, Morocco turn the night upside down

Monday, June 29 and into the early hours of Tuesday — three matches, three extraordinary storylines. Brazil snatched qualification in the final seconds of stoppage time. Germany were eliminated in a penalty shootout for the very first time in their history. And Morocco turned the night upside down with a 90+1’ equaliser before winning on penalties. A night for the ages.

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Brazil 2-1 Japan — Martinelli saves the Seleção at 90+5’

(Facts — sources: FIFA, ESPN, FOX Sports.)

Japan came agonisingly close to the biggest upset of the tournament. Sano opened the scoring at 29’ against all the run of play, in a match where Brazil dominated possession (69% to 31%). Casemiro levelled at 56’ from a Gabriel cross, and everyone braced for extra time.

Then Martinelli happened.

90+5’. Brazil have the ball, Martinelli receives, shoots, goal. Japan’s extraordinary run ended five seconds before the final whistle. Brazil through. Japan go home.

3 key stats:

• 7 shots on target to 2 for Brazil — the dominance was total.
• xG 1.73 to 0.23: Japan survived far longer than the underlying numbers would ever have suggested.
• 90+5’ — Martinelli’s goal, the latest winner in the tournament so far.

Gunners spotlight: Gabriel with the decisive assist on Casemiro’s equaliser. Martinelli with the decisive goal at 90+5’. When it matters most, the Gunners show up.

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Germany 1-1 (4-3 pens) Paraguay — The upset of the tournament

(Facts — sources: FIFA, ESPN, FOX Sports.)

76% possession for Germany. xG 1.57 to 0.35 in Germany’s favour. And yet it is Paraguay who advance to the last 16.

Julio Enciso headed Paraguay into the lead at 42’, completely against the run of play. Germany pushed back and Havertz equalised logically at 54’. For 35 minutes, Germany seemed destined to push on for a winner — they never found it.

Jonathan Tah thought he had scored with a header in extra time, but VAR ruled it out for a foul on goalkeeper Orlando Gill. The match went to penalties.

Gill saved from Havertz first — then from Woltemade. Kimmich, Musiala and Amiri converted for Germany, but Paraguay matched them. In sudden death, José Canale stepped up and sent Paraguay through. Germany were out.

The first time in history that Germany have been knocked out of a World Cup in a penalty shootout.

3 key stats:

• 76% possession for Germany — utterly unrewarded.
• 6 shots on target to 3 — Germany’s statistical control was near total.
• 4-3 on penalties: Paraguay held on where it mattered most.

Gunners spotlight: Havertz scored at 54’ to level the tie — then saw his penalty saved by Gill in the shootout’s very first kick. The hardest kind of night for the Arsenal man.

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Netherlands 1-1 (3-2 pens) Morocco — Morocco turn the night upside down

(Facts — sources: ESPN, Opta Analyst, FOX Sports.)

Gakpo opened logically at 72’ for the Netherlands, who had been the stronger side in the first half. But Morocco took control of possession in the second half (70% across the full match), and Issa Diop threw himself at a cross at 90+1’ to head home an equaliser that silenced the Dutch end. Cue bedlam in Guadalupe.

In extra time, Rahimi found himself one-on-one with Verbruggen and was denied at point-blank range — the save of the night. The decisive goal never came in open play.

On penalties, Yassine Bounou was the hero: he stopped Summerville. Quinten Timber and Kluivert both missed for the Dutch. Saibari stepped up and sealed it. Morocco through to the last 16.

3 key stats:

• 70% possession for Morocco — total control in the second half.
• xG 1.40 to 0.23: the stats backed Morocco all the way.
• 90+1’ — Diop’s header, the latest equaliser of the night.

(Note: Jurrien Timber, Arsenal, is absent from the tournament through injury. His brother Quinten, who plays for the Netherlands, missed his penalty in the shootout. No active Gunners in this match.)

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Bracket update — who advances, who do they face?

(Source: FIFA official bracket, verified via ESPN.)

• Brazil (last 16): await the winner of Côte d’Ivoire vs Norway (Tuesday, 19H CET).
• Paraguay (last 16): await the winner of France vs Sweden (Tuesday, 23H CET).
• Morocco (last 16): will face Canada (already through).

Three teams through in one night. The draw is filling up fast.

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GG Analysis

(Opinion.)

Monday night gave us three archetypes of World Cup football in the space of a few hours.

Brazil, who win because they have the quality to find the decisive goal when it matters most — Martinelli at 90+5’ is not fortune, it’s class.

Germany, who dominate from start to finish and go home anyway, because possession and xG do not win tournaments. Paraguay did not steal this. They were outplayed for 110 minutes and won the 10 that counted. That is the World Cup.

And Morocco, who represent a third model entirely: collective resilience, a goal grabbed at the worst possible moment for the opposition, and nerves of steel in the shootout. This team does not win by dominating — they win by refusing to lose.

Three winners, three completely different stories. That’s what makes this tournament extraordinary.

And Havertz? He scored at 54’ — he did his job. But the first penalty saved in the shootout was his. Football doesn’t always remember the nuances.

#WorldCup2026 #COYG