Netherlands out of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ after Morocco’s penalty shootout victory. Paraguay also shocked Germany in a penalty shootout upset. Heartbreak for Japan, as Brazil through to the Round of 16 with 2-1 win. Join your host Haylena Krishnamoorthy for this episode of World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast, as she breaks down today’s penalty upsets. Did Brazil break Japan's World Cup dream? How did Paraguay pull off one of the biggest shocks of the tournament? Is Netherlands through to the round of 16? How are the Socceroos preparing to face Egypt?
Did Brazil break Japan's World Cup dream?
How did Paraguay pull off one of the biggest shocks of the tournament?
Is Netherlands through to the round of 16?
And how are the Socceroos preparing to face Egypt?
I’m your host, Haylena Krishnamoorthy, and in this episode of SBS News’ World Cup Daily: The 90+ Podcast, I'll bring you the biggest stories on and beyond the pitch.
That's Japan's 25-year-old's Kaishu Sano striking early, in his first international appearance.
But it was Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli that ended Japan's World Cup dream with a dramatic 2-1 victory in stoppage time.
Despite five-time champions Brazil dominating possession and creating far more chances, Japan - who beat Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden in the group stages - defended courageously until the final moments.I spoke to Executive Producer of SBS Japanese, Yumi Oba to discuss what this means beyond the scoreline."Brazil was definitely the better side today. If you look at their ball possession, their shots on target, Japan only had two shots on target and one which they scored, so definitely Brazil was pressing so much more, and there was a lot of defending, desperate defending from the Japanese side, and I guess even though Japan was able to push Brazil to the last minute, it was just that small error that Japan made that cost them, so yeah, it's devastating, but I think it's a result that Japan should be proud."
Yumi says while the result is devastating, Japan can leave the tournament with plenty of pride.One player, in particular, stood out to her."For me personally, it's the goalkeeper, Zion Suzuki.
"I think he did an amazing performance, not just today, but throughout the tournament, and when he first came on to the national squad, there was a lot of criticism on his performance, especially after the Asian Cup, when Japan lost in, I think, it was a round of eight, and there was a lot of criticism for Suzuki and the coach as well for the selection, but you know there was so much belief from the coach that Suzuki will really step up for this World Cup, and that's exactly what we, what he did, and to see him grow into this position, I think it was a real pleasure to watch."
She says the US-born Japan goalkeeper's performance throughout the tournament has silenced many of the critics who questioned his place in the team after the Asian Cup.Beyond the pitch, Japan's supporters have once again earned praise for staying behind after matches to clean the stadium.Yumi - who was born in Japan and moved to Australia when she was eight - says it's a tradition deeply rooted in Japanese culture.
"I think the fans cleaning up the stadium after every match, it comes down to having respect for each other and taking responsibilities, and I think it's really rooted into how Japanese kids are educated, I guess, because in primary schools there's no cleaners, it's the students who clean the school, and we've been taught from young to take responsibility of our own rubbish and to have respect for each other and the environment, and I think that's where it's all coming from."
Like many Japanese Australians, Yumi says she's been cheering for both Japan and Australia throughout the tournament.And despite the disappointment, she believes this Japanese side has shown something different.
"I did see that compared to the last game in Qatar, the mentality of the Japanese team has been at a completely different level, and it was, it was so refreshing to see Japan able to really push through those challenges, and it's something that we haven't seen from the Japanese side before, and there was this collective belief, not just from the coaches and the players, but from the Japan Football Association, even the media. If you look up the headlines, the story angles, we all had this collective belief that Japan can do it, and it was really good to see the whole nation going behind Japan to lift them up."
She says there was a collective belief throughout the country that this team was capable of making history.
That belief, she says, was carefully built by the Japan Football Association.
"Japan Football Association has been really working hard to build this strong mentality since the last World Cup, and even if you look at the selection of the players, you know, Nagatomo, who's the oldest player in the team, 39 and his this was his fifth World Cup, and we saw a glimpse of him in the last match against Sweden, but to be honest, there are plenty of other players who could fill in that position."
But one of the biggest talking points today has been on another match.
Paraguay pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Julio Enciso put Paraguay ahead, with a header just before the first half ended.And both teams drew 1-1 at 120 minutes before the underdog won the penalty shootout 4-3 to book their place in the round of 16.
Despite Kai Havertz' goal in the second half for Germany, Paraguay's José Canale hit the decisive penalty to give the underdogs a memorable victory and spark wild celebrations.
This Paraguay fan Carlos Garcia describes the feeling.
"This is the best freaking experience we have ever had. This generation has not seen this level of football, this energy that we've seen today was the best experience I've ever had, I just can't describe. So, this team, with that energy, with that grit, can face anybody. So France, next. Come on, let's go!"
Paraguay will face either title contenders France or Sweden.
Elsewhere, Another heavyweight is also heading home.
Cody Gakpo with the first goal for Netherlands breaking down after scoring.
The Liverpool player carrying unimaginable emotion along with grief - after the recent tragic loss of his unborn son.
Issa Diop’s late 91st minute equaliser for Morocco sends them into extra time.
And just like that, Morocco win 3-2 in a chaotic penalty shootout.
Morocco's Achraf Hakimi after the match.
"Amazing, amazing no worries. We make it, it was not easy, I'm so tired right now but really proud of the team."
Journalist: It was the 91st minute the goal. How does the team stay focussed and never give up?
AH "Like you say, we know this game, we know who we play. We have to be focussed, and be strong physically and also mentally, we don't know how can be the game but we saw strong mentality and we come back."
In 2022, Morocco became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, losing 2-0 to France.
Attention now turns to Australia, with the Socceroos preparing to face Egypt in Dallas on Saturday 4am AEST.
Japan-based striker Tete Yengi says confidence inside the camp continues to grow.
"We showed in the Turkiye game, in the Paraguay game, in the US game that we can compete with good nations - play some good football. You know, we just keep on looking to work hard every game, physically I think we're superior to the other team. So as long as we keep working on that and we show the rest of the game on the ball - we have top quality players."
Tete Yengi and Mo Touré are among five Adelaide players in the national squad.
Meanwhile, Cristian Volpato was a late addition to Australia's World Cup squad after switching his international allegiance from Italy.
The decision comes four years after the Sydney-born winger turned down a Socceroos call-up ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Volpato says choosing Australia this time felt right.
His journey to this World Cup has been anything but straightforward.
After being released by both Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers academies, his family took a huge gamble and moved to Italy.
"Growing up in Australia and playing for the two best academies in Sydney, I got told by both of them that, basically, I'm not good enough to play. I just felt it was my time to, I don't know, I always wanted to go to Italy as a kid. I just remember the car ride home with my dad. I was crying. He just says, 'We'll go to Italy now and we'll try it."
That leap of faith changed everything.
"My mum, she sold her shop. We leased our house. We left everything just to go for a trial. Thank God I made the trial, and my life changed from there. I feel like I have to give a lot as well to Italy because they gave me a second opportunity."
Now, Volpato represents the country where his football journey began on the biggest stage of all.
And if you'd like to catch up on all of today's World Cup highlights, you can stream every match and the latest analysis on SBS On Demand.
And tomorrow, we have Ivory Coast vs. Norway, France against Sweden and Mexico to face Ecuador.
Stay tuned for the latest at the World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast.
And to get the latest World Cup news, check out SBS News Headlines, wherever you get your podcasts.
