Paraguay pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the FIFA World Cup, stunning tournament favourites Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout to seal a place in the Round of 16 after a gripping 1-1 draw that stretched through extra time.
The South Americans produced a disciplined and resilient display to frustrate Julian Nagelsmann’s men before holding their nerve from the penalty spot to send the four-time world champions crashing out of the competition.
Paraguay struck first just before half-time when Julio Enciso fired home in the 42nd minute after being picked out by MatÃas Galarza, handing Gustavo Alfaro’s side a deserved lead at the break.
Germany responded positively after the restart and restored parity in the 54th minute through Kai Havertz, who finished off a fine move created by Florian Wirtz.
Both sides exchanged attacking opportunities for the remainder of regulation time, but neither could find the decisive goal, forcing the contest into an additional 30 minutes.
The drama intensified in extra time when Jonathan Tah thought he had put Germany ahead, only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review in the 102nd minute. Emotions also boiled over on the touchline, with both coaches, Julian Nagelsmann and Gustavo Alfaro, shown yellow cards before the end of the first period of extra time.
Despite late chances for Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Galarza, the deadlock remained unbroken, sending the match to a tense penalty shootout.
Germany converted through Havertz, Joshua Kimmich and Nadiem Amiri, while Paraguay responded with successful spot-kicks from Mauricio, Gustavo Gómez, MatÃas Galarza and Antonio Sanabria.
The decisive moment came when Germany’s Nick Woltemade failed to convert, allowing Sanabria to maintain Paraguay’s advantage and complete a famous victory that sent the South Americans into the last 16.
The result ranks among the tournament’s biggest shocks, as Paraguay eliminated one of football’s traditional powerhouses to continue their remarkable World Cup journey.
Player of the Match: Julio Enciso delivered a standout performance for Paraguay, opening the scoring and tormenting Germany’s defence throughout the contest with his pace, creativity and composure.
