Brazil, Germany eye World Cup last 16 as Netherlands face Morocco

Brazil’s quest to win a record sixth World Cup heads into the knockout stages on Monday as Carlo Ancelotti’s team face Japan in the last 32, before four-time champions Germany play Paraguay and Morocco take on the Netherlands in perhaps the tie of the round.
The Brazilians are desperate to win the World Cup again, 24 years after they last lifted the trophy, and they eased through the group stage in first place above Morocco, with Vinicius Junior playing a starring role by scoring four goals.
The South Americans may be the favourites to progress to the last 16, but Japan are dangerous opponents and unlikely to make life easy in the first game of the day in Houston.
“We need to play w...