OFFSIDE | FIFA World Cup 2026: Can Japan outplay Brazil in Round of 32?

Hello and welcome to Offside: your daily recap and we look forward to the World Cup. The strangest thing about Day 18 was that it only had one game, and it was one that would have made cricket fans feel like they were watching the first round of an ICC tournament had Cricket Canada not been disbanded due to gang-related corruption.

Summary of action: Canada 1-0 South Africa

There is an oft-repeated phrase in cricket: there was intent. Canada had a bigger purpose, with South Africa looking for extra time and penalties, but Stephen Eustaquio had other ideas. Alphonso Davise proved the difference as soon as he came on in the 75th minute and instantly lifted the spirits like maple syrup on pancakes. Canada advanced to the round of 32, where they will face the not-so-powerful Netherlands or Morocco.

Matchday Action: Brazil vs Japan

June 29, 10:30 PM ISTIn ‘Kill Bill’, Hattori Hanzo makes a blade for the Bride and tells her, “If you meet God on your way, God will cut.” The Japanese team looks sharp, like a samurai sword or a shogun about to save a kingdom, but now they face the football gods in Brazil, although God has been MIA since 2002.Warrior WatchBrazil’s Vinicius Jr looks like he’s on fire, as if he’s been fueled by a thousand racist shouts. With another star, Takefusa Kubo, injured, Japan will look to Daichi Kamada for inspiration.Battle planJapan will try to make it a game of discipline, fast passing and sudden breaks. Without Kuba, Daichi Kamada must become the brains between midfield and attack, while Junya Ito gives them wide space.Brazil’s plan is simpler and more terrifying: get the ball to Vinicius Jr. before Japan can set their shape. If Japan lose it cheaply, Brazil will be penalized by one missed pass.The key battle is Japan’s neat possession against Brazil’s open field violence. Japan needs rhythm. Brazil needs grass. Whoever fulfills their wish controls the match.Dinner conversationJapan have already beaten Germany, Spain and England in recent years and even upset Brazil in a friendly before that. The smart money will be on Brazil, but Japan is a nation that keeps coming back from impossible odds. If they survive the atomic bombs, they can upset the Sambo boys.

Matchday Action: Germany vs Paraguay

June 30, 2:00 ISTGermany arrive with four World Cups, a squad full of shiny moving parts and a nagging feeling that something is still not working in the machine. Paraguay is like Billy Butcher with a crowbar, but with the eternal belief that he can still kill that Homelander.Warrior WatchGermany will look to Jamal Musiala for magic as even Germany’s best machine needs someone who can draw outside the lines. Paraguay will get back Miguel Almiron, whose pace can surprise teams.Battle planGermany will want the ball, pace and enough space for Musiala and Florian Wirtz to finally turn promise into punishment. If they score early, this could become an exercise in German admin. Paraguay’s plan is simpler: clog the middle, slow down the game, win fouls and make Germany impatient. Then launch Almiron into space and see if panic spreads faster than passing bullets. The key battle is the control of Germany against the Paraguayan chaos. Germany needs rhythm. Paraguay needs mud. Whoever fulfills their wish controls the match.Dinner conversationThe smart money will be in Germany as history, talent and common sense point to it all. But Paraguay is always ready to fight. Expect them to be key to the job.

Matchday Action: Netherlands vs Morocco

June 30, 6:30 am ISTJohan Cruyff’s total football is now a museum piece with better lighting than the current Dutch backline. The Oranje are still dangerous, but they are not talked about like they used to be. Morocco, meanwhile, have gone from plucky underdogs to one of Africa’s proper heavyweights.To paraphrase Rick Blaine: of all the knockout battles in all the World Cups, the Dutch had to go through this one.Warrior WatchThe Netherlands will look to Cody Gakpo as a striker and Virgil van Dijk for peace. Another emotional thread is Gakpo’s loss of a child. Morocco will look to Achraf Hakimi for the move, Brahim Diaz for the invention and Ismael Saibari for the kind of nuisance value that destroys Europe’s sleep cycles.Battle planThe Dutch want the ball, width and enough attacking flow to make it look like a footballing philosophy again. The problem is that they scored freely but also left the door ajar. Morocco’s plan is to stay compact, break through Hakimi and Diaz and make every Dutch turnover look like a borderline incident. The key battle is Dutch control against Moroccan nerve. The Netherlands need rhythm. Morocco needs one clean break and a crowd to start believing again in 2022.Dinner conversationMorocco will always have Qatar, but they will want more than memories. The Dutch will always have Cruyff, orange shirts and enough talented defenders to build a dam, except right now the Dutch dam is still leaking. If Hakimi and Diaz find cracks, it could be the end of a beautiful run for the Oranje. Play it again, Sam: soccer, heartbreak and one Moroccan counter-attack.Last offside columns: