Europe’s sway in the World Cup received a jolting reality check within a few extraordinary hours as Germany and Netherlands were eliminated in agonising penalty shootouts by Paraguay and Morocco respectively. Brazil had earlier earned a gritty 2-1 victory over Japan to reach the last 16, but there would be no such escape for two of Europe's traditional heavyweights in what surely will be remembered as the day the 2026 World Cup underwent a seismic change.Netherlands' defender #22 Denzel Dumfries and forward #09 Wout Weghorst react after losing the penalty shootout. (AFP)Germany were the first to fall, Paraguay prevailing 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, before Morocco recovered from the brink of elimination to stun the Netherlands 3-2 in another nerve-racking shootout. The results exposed the fine margins of knockout football and underlined once again that pedigree counts for little once survival becomes the only currency.Neither victory was founded on dominance. Paraguay spent much of the evening without the ball but never without belief. Germany monopolised possession, moving the ball with patience and purpose, yet repeatedly found themselves confronted by an unyielding Paraguayan defence marshalled superbly by Gustavo Gomez and central defender Jose Canale.Paraguay's opportunities were rare, making efficiency essential. Four minutes before half-time they found exactly that. Matías Galarza surged beyond Nathaniel Brown before delivering a teasing cross into the six-yard box, where Julio Enciso had drifted unnoticed to head in a goal. Germany had reached the interval with close to 80% possession but still trailed to Paraguay's only meaningful attack.It didn’t take much time for Germany to hit back though. Florian Wirtz floated in a cross towards the far post early in the second half and Kai Havertz ghosted across his marker to glance a header into the corner. Germany doubled down on their attacks after that but Paraguay kept defending as Canale and Gómez repelled crosses while Orlando Gill commanded his penalty area with authority.Jonathan Tah thought he had won it for Germany in extra time, only for VAR to disallow the goal for a foul on Gill. Penalties followed, and with them the collapse of one of the World Cup's longest-standing certainties. Germany, unbeaten in shootouts at the tournament before this night, faltered as Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade missed, while Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena briefly let Germany off the hook for Paraguay.The defining moment came in sudden death when Tah, attempting to keep Germany alive, sent his penalty sailing over the crossbar. Canale, calm after a memorable defensive display, dispatched the winner to complete one of Paraguay's finest victories.Morocco’s fever pitchFor much of the evening the Netherlands appeared destined to edge into the last 16. The contest had offered little separation until Cody Gakpo, introduced from the bench after an emotionally difficult week following the loss of his and partner Noa van der Bij's unborn child, delivered what looked to be the decisive contribution.The goal seemed certain to settle the tie since Morocco had created little of note till then and time was slipping away. But deep into stoppage time, Morocco finally found the equaliser. Chemsdine Talbi launched one final hopeful delivery into the penalty area and Issa Diop used his height advantage to guide a header beyond Verbruggen for his first international goal.Morocco almost completed the turnaround in extra time when Soufiane Rahimi burst through on goal, only for goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to produce a magnificent save with his hand and thigh. In the shootout though, it was Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s time to shine. With the scores level after four rounds, he sprang to his left to repel Crysencio Summerville's penalty before Ismael Saibari calmly rolled the winning kick into the opposite corner, sending Morocco into the last 16 and the Netherlands grappling with an earlier than expected ouster.The two results once again underlined the limitations of possession without incision. Germany and Netherlands controlled long spells, yet neither side could translate that superiority into tangible goals. Paraguay and Morocco on the other hand demonstrated that knockout football rewards conviction as much as reputation, more so when the game is reduced to a shootout.