WORLD CUP STUFF

Round of 32 - Brazil 2 Japan 1 I'll admit I wanted Japan to win this, and I thought they were going to in a first half in which their neat, counter-attacking football made Brazil squint like old men staring at the sun and Sano cruised past Casemiro to score a cracker. However, Casemiro got his revenge in the second half and from then on Japan were hanging on for extra time as they recalled throwing away leads in previous matches. Sadly Brazil's winner came in the 95th minute, which was cruel, especially for Japan coach Jet Li, who abandoned movie stardom to carve out a career in football management Round of 32 - Germany 1 Paraquat 1 Paraquat win 4-3 on penalties "Germany In Shock" read the headlines, but everybody knew this was no shock. It wasn't even a surprise. Paraquat, being the feisty devils they are, knew exactly how to wind up the Germans, how to exploit their lumbering insecurity. Their goal was the result of their never-say-die spirit, as was their defending after Havertz equalised. The penalty shoot-out was the worst in living memory, and Paraquat celebrated like lunatics. Round of 32 - Morocco 1 Netherlands 1 Morocco win 3-2 on penalties Netherlands were made to eat their own patatje as Morocco continued to impress. Morocco were threatening throughout, but their efforts seemed to be frustrated by Gakpo's emotional opener 18 minutes from the end. But Issa Diop's stoppage time header took the game to extra time. If it hadn't been for the heroics of goalkeeper Verbruggen, Netherlands would never have reached penalties. As it was, the penalty shoot-out was the worst in living memory, eclipsing the previous worst penalty shoot-out in living memory by several bowls of suspiciously flavoured couscous.