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Knockouts Open With Two Late Dramas — Hosts Canada Reach a First-Ever Round of 16, Brazil Sink Japan in the 96th Minute
The World Cup knockout stage is under way. Host nation Canada beat South Africa 1-0 on a stoppage-time winner to reach the Round of 16 for the first time ever, while five-time champions Brazil trailed Japan before Gabriel Martinelli's 90+6th-minute strike sealed a 2-1 comeback. Both openers were settled in added time.
Clinch Desk · Mon, Jun 29
The Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup got under way on June 28, and the first two knockout matches both went the distance, decided in stoppage time. Host nation Canada edged South Africa 1-0, and five-time champions Brazil came from behind to beat Japan 2-1, both booking their places in the Round of 16.
The opening match belonged to the hosts. In Los Angeles on June 28, Canada could not break a tense deadlock with South Africa — until, deep in stoppage time (92'), captain Stephen Eustáquio struck the decisive goal to seal a 1-0 win. It is the first time in their history that Canada have reached a World Cup knockout round, a piece of history written in front of their home fans. South Africa, who had beaten South Korea 1-0 to finish second in Group A, instead bowed out at the first knockout hurdle.
The following day, June 29 in Houston, Brazil and Japan served up a classic. Asia's standard-bearers Japan threatened an upset when Kaishu Sano put them ahead in the 29th minute. Brazil levelled through Casemiro in the 56th, and with the game still deadlocked deep into stoppage time, Gabriel Martinelli finished coolly in the 90+6th minute to complete a 2-1 turnaround. The five-time champions had to dig deep to shake off a Japan side that pushed them to the very end; Japan went out in the Round of 32 but earned warm applause for taking a title favourite to the wire.
The Round-of-16 picture is now taking shape. Canada will face the winner of Netherlands vs Morocco (June 30), and Brazil meet the winner of Ivory Coast vs Norway (June 30). The Round of 32 runs through July 3, with blockbuster ties still to come — Portugal vs Croatia on July 2 and defending champions Argentina vs Cape Verde on July 3. The full bracket and kickoff times update live on our bracket page (/bracket).