Paraguay set up their last 32 tie with Germany after finishing Group D in third place, qualifying as one of the best eight third-placed teams.

With a poor goal difference after a heavy opening win against co-hosts USA, they needed a point in their final match against Australia following a surprise 1-0 win against Turkey in their second game.

A 0-0 draw against second-placed Australia helped both sides.

Group D results:

• United States 4-1 Paraguay
• Turkey 0-1 Paraguay
• Paraguay 0-0 Australia

Image source, Getty Images

Germany had to make changes for the Ecuador game in defence after centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck was ruled out of the rest of the World Cup with an ankle injury.

The 26-year-old left-footed defender suffered the problem in his side's 2-1 win against Ivory Coast and was replaced by Antonio Rudiger at half-time.

A Germany national team statement said Schlotterbeck had "suffered an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left ankle" and "will be out for several months".

Deniz Undav’s late brace to seal a 2-1 win against Ivory Coast in Germany’s second game secured their place as Group E winners.

So they went into their final match against Ecuador with nothing on the line…other than pride.

Joe Hart told BBC that, despite Germany opening the scoring through Leroy Sane in the second minute, after that they “just weren’t at the races”.

This is actually Germany’s first knockout game at a World Cup since they beat Argentina to win the final of the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Since then they failed to win through their group at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and in Qatar in 2022.

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

They always tend to come to the party when they need to come to the parties. They've got very, very good footballers. I'd like to say that they have a fighting chance. They do before the whistles kick in and Germany will just go through the gears, and I think they'll win that one.

Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany side started their group campaign with a heavy win against minnows Curacao, but even in that 7-1 victory showed defensive frailty.

They have now failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last nine matches at the World Cup finals, after coming from behind in their second match with two late goals to beat Ivory Coast then conceding twice in their closing defeat to Ecuador.

Despite their defensive issues, Germany still went through as group winners.

Group E results:

• Germany 7-1 Curacao
• Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast
• Ecuador 2-1 Germany

On to Germany, who face Paraguay, one of the eight best third-place finishers...

Chris Sutton
Former England forward

I am covering this game for Radio 5 Live and I have a feeling there is going to be an upset here - although it would not count as an upset for me or my commentating colleague Ali Bruce-Ball.

Japan are his dark horses for the tournament and it wouldn't be fair to him if I didn't go with him on this game.

They beat Brazil for the first time when they played them in a friendly in Tokyo last October and I think they are going to beat them again here and knock them out.

Whatever happens, it will be a fascinating match. Brazil could go on and win this World Cup and, if they do, it will be because of their manager, Carlo Ancelotti.

He's a superb organiser, but I worry about them in the middle of the park, and I don't think they have got the legs to deal with Japan's rapid attacks.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

AI's prediction: 2-1

Image source, BBC Sport

Japan finished second in a tough group that included the Netherlands – seventh in the world – and a Sweden side rejuvenated under Graham Potter.

They battled back twice to draw their opening game against the Dutch, including an 89th-minute equaliser from Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada.

And after completing a regulation win against Tunisia, sealed their place as Group F runners-up with a draw against the Swedes.

Results in Group F:

• Netherlands 2-2 Japan
• Tunisia 0-4 Japan
• Japan 1-1 Sweden

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's not straightforward, let me tell you. I think Japan play some really good football, really physical as well. So, they'll be happy to take on Brazil.

Brazil will want to slow it down, play the beautiful game, but Japan will have a say in this game, without a doubt.

Lucas Leiva
Former Brazil midfielder

Image source, Getty Images

In some ways, Matheus Cunha reminds me a lot of my old Liverpool team-mate Roberto Firmino in the way he is always dropping deep, and giving the defender marking him a doubt about what to do.

If the defender follows him, it gives more space and freedom to Vinicius Jr and Rayan. If the defender leaves Cunha, then he has time to play between the lines, get on the ball and look for passes or shoot.

Cunha seems very happy and comfortable with his role, including the defensive side of it when he starts the press or plays almost like a number six in front of the midfield, and it seems to be working for the team in terms of the balance it gives to our attack.

It was very strange for Brazil to be going into a World Cup without knowing who our best number nine was.

Even until the Scotland game, no-one knew who the first choice centre-forward would be.

I don't think Ancelotti knew before the tournament either, because he tried Cunha, Igor Thiago, Endrick, Joao Pedro and Richarlison.

Sometimes, though, injuries help a manager make decisions. You can almost stumble on to a combination that works well and this time maybe one has helped Brazil.

Read more here.

Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer Neymar says it was "wonderful to be back" after he made a substitute appearance in the 3-0 win over Scotland.

READ MORE: Neymar - the return of Brazil's forgotten hero

The World Cup is taking shape - and I am happy to say the Brazil team is too.

It looks like Carlo Ancelotti has found his best XI and we have improved and gained momentum and confidence with each game of the group stage.

We are getting better at the right time and we have to be, because Japan will be a big challenge in the last 32.

It feels like we are on track, and a big part of that is down to Matheus Cunha. He is the key to a lot of what we are doing so well.

It is quite funny to be saying this because usually the Brazil public expects a classic number nine to be leading our attack, and Cunha is different to what the fans are normally looking for.

He is more of a nine-and-a-half. Someone who can play like a nine, but also a 10 to link play and create for others.

So he is not like Ronaldo, Adriano or Romario, some of our great strikers of the past 30 years, but because he can also score goals - he has three so far at this tournament - he is not a playmaker, either.

Instead, he gives the team something that Brazil have maybe never had before, in terms of a centre-forward anyway.

• Click here to read Lucas Leiva’s full column

Brazil finished top of Group C on goal difference, battling back to draw a tough opening game against 2022 semi-finalists Morocco before easing to wins against Haiti and Scotland.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jnr (4) and Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha (3) have been their star men up front, sharing Brazil’s seven goals.

Results in Group C:

• Brazil 1-1 Morocco
• Brazil 3-0 Haiti
• Scotland 0-3 Brazil

Are you going to set your alarms for Netherlands v Morocco, or just pull an all-nighter?

Or maybe you just want to join us for the debrief at 7am Tuesday morning.

Whichever way, we've got you covered.

We will have more on that game in a bit, but we're going to approach our build-up in chronological order.

First up is Brazil v Japan...

Well that was a nice change.

Hope you enjoyed the quiz and managed to get a few right!

Let's re-focus our minds back on the World Cup action still to come.

After Canada's win over South Africa last night, the remaining 15 ties of the first knockout stage will be evenly split over the next five days, with three played each night.

Tonight’s instalment looks mouth-watering:

Monday, 29 June

• Brazil v Japan (Houston, 18:00)
• Germany v Paraguay (Boston, 21:30)

Tuesday, 30 June

• Netherlands v Morocco (Monterrey, 02:00)

In the meantime, if you have missed the quiz, fret not. You can catch up on all of the quiz action - with no spoilers - by scrolling back on this live page.

Or use a handy shortcut:

• Question 1 and answer
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• Question 11 and answer

Sorry folks, bonus point for spotting the error in that poll! We will refresh in a mo for all the clever clogs out there who managed to get all 11 questions right!

That last question was a tough one. Well done on getting at least one of them right Harry. Fair to say that was an educated guess?