The spellbinding drama of the World Cup’s first ever Round of 32 is already complete, and what a time it was. Upsets, penalty shootouts, late goals, and controvercial calls galore have brought us to the Round of 16, which begins today with a pair of matches on the 250th anniversary of United States independence.
Canada and Morocco get the proceedings underway in the early afternoon in Houston, where the co-hosts look to stay alive against a dangerous Moroccan side that outlasted the Netherlands in penalties on Monday. Afterwards, Miguel Almiron, Matias Galarza and the rest of the Paraguay squad seek a second major upset against a star-studded France squad after knocking Germany out in the previous round.
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Canada vs. Morocco, 1 p.m ET, Houston | Winner faces Paraguay/France winner July 9 in Boston
How Canada got to the Round of 16
The second place finishers of Group B, Canada was paired with South Africa, the second place finishers of Group A, in the Round of 32. The co-hosts’ loss to Switzerland in the Group Stage increased the difficulty of their knockout path in their first ever qualification, and South Africa took them to the wire in Los Angeles. With extra time looming and the match still scoreless, Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio bagged the winner in the second minute of stoppage to send his nation into the Round of 16.
How Morocco got to the Round of 32
Morocco has been a team to be reckoned with this World Cup, as the 2022 semifinalists have gone unbeaten in the tournament thus far. An opening draw against Brazil opened the door for a top place finish, but a +3 goal differential at the end of the Group Stage ultimately left the Atlas Lions second in Group C. This brought them to a highly competitive Round of 32 matchup with the Netherlands, a dramatic battle that saw the Dutch team score first, but a stoppage time equalizer from Issa Diop pushed the match to extra time. Morocco emerged victorious after a penalty shootout, keeping their hopes of another deep run alive into the Round of 16.
Where to watch Canada vs. Morocco
FOX/FOX One (English); Telemundo/Peacock (Spanish)
Paraguay vs. France, 5 p.m. ET, Philadelphia | Winner faces Canada/Morocco winner July 9 in Boston
How Paraguay got to the Round of 16
The most shocking upset of the Round of 32 belongs to Paraguay, who managed to eliminate Germany from the tournament in a shootout to advance to the Round of 16. La Albirroja began their World Cup with a 4-1 loss to the United States, but turned things around with a win and draw in their next two matches to progress to the knockout round as a third place team. Their reward? Facing heavyweights Germany in their first match, but the Paraguayans stood their ground, scoring just before the half thanks to buildup from Miguel Almiron and Matias Galarza, whose cross found the head of Julio Enciso for the lead. Germany equalized in the second half, but Paraguay survived the onslaught to get to a shootout, and came out of a twisting and turning affair the victors. Now, they’ll face an even tougher foe with France in the Round of 16.
How France got to the Round of 16
France has only confirmed their status as one of the top contenders to lift the World Cup in a couple weeks’ time thanks to their strong performances thus far in the tournament. A dominant attacking force, Les Bleus have scored no less than three goals in each match, only conceding twice across their last four matches. They emerged from a difficult group the clear winners, and were dominant against Sweden in their Round of 32 match, winning 3-0. They’ll be the heavy favorites this evening in Philadelphia to advance to the quarterfinals, but as we saw last night in Argentina-Cabo Verde, anything can happen in this World Cup.
Where to watch Paraguay vs. France
FOX/FOX One (English); Telemundo/Peacock (Spanish)
Metro Atlanta World Cup festivities are carrying on all throughout the tournament. Here’s a list of places you can watch all the World Cup action, along with a map.
If you’re headed to Atlanta to see games in person, check out our World Cup guide, which gives you information on where to stay, what to do, see, and eat, along with how to get around using MARTA.