That's why if Spain got the second goal to tie, Japan would have been out on goal differential v Germany. I do back and forth on goal differential as a tiebreaker because on one hand, you do want to see an open game, but on the other, winning should be enough. Technically it is enough. I just don't like a situation where you advance because you have +4, but I go home even though I beat you.
Basically everyone needed to win except Spain, and Germany needed all 4 of those goals plus some help. Spain, on the other hand, isn't particularly helpful. I mean, I would have fielded at least half a B team and subbed out the others in the second half.
Soccer is unique because you don't stop the clock. Get out there and get at it! The decision on the stoppage time, iirc, is actually the head referee who communicates to the booth, or the fourth official. That's why you may see 6 minutes, but it's 6:10 or something. Stoppage time is very exciting and chaotic because sometimes one team is screaming for the whistle while the other is screaming to finish the play. Like, you won't see a game called on a corner kick. The defending side has to clear it. In tight games, there's also more fouls in the second half too.
This World Cup has way higher stoppage times than anything I've ever seen. But, like you said, there's more injury, now VAR, and the increase to five substitutes.