Paraguay produced the first true miracle of this World Cup knockout stage, eliminating Germany in a dramatic Round of 32 penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw through extra time.
Paraguay’s World Cup dream is alive. Germany’s is over.
In one of the most stunning results of the Round of 32, Paraguay eliminated Germany after a dramatic penalty shootout, winning 4-3 from the spot following a 1-1 draw after extra time. It was a night of suffering, belief and national pride for the Albirroja, carried by goalkeeper Orlando Gill and match-winning penalty taker José Canale.
For Germany, this was a disaster. Julian Nagelsmann’s team dominated long stretches of possession, controlled territory and pushed Paraguay deep for most of the game, but never found enough clarity in the final third. In the decisive moment, Kai Havertz missed from the spot, Nick Woltemade was denied, Jonathan Tah sent Germany’s final penalty wide and Paraguay completed a historic upset.
Paraguay started the match with courage. Less than two minutes in, Alonso almost shocked Germany with an acrobatic effort from close range, but Manuel Neuer reacted brilliantly to keep the game scoreless. Germany gradually took control, with its technical superiority and physical power beginning to show, but Paraguay stayed compact, aggressive and emotionally connected.
That unity paid off in the 42nd minute. After a corner was only partially cleared, Paraguay worked the ball wide and created space on the right. Galarza delivered a dangerous cross into the box, where Julio Enciso was left completely free. His header gave Paraguay a stunning 1-0 lead and marked the country’s first goal in a World Cup knockout-stage match.
Germany went into halftime stunned. Nagelsmann’s side had the ball, but Paraguay had the moment.
The second half brought pressure, tension and one of the key individual performances of the night. Gill, who had faced criticism back home before the tournament, answered with a heroic display. He denied Germany’s best chances, including a powerful Havertz header, and gave Paraguay the belief that the impossible could become real.
Germany eventually found the equalizer in the 54th minute through Havertz, who seemed to have rescued his team. The Arsenal forward had been one of Germany’s few consistent attacking references during a frustrating night, but his match would later turn from rescue act to heartbreak.
With the game locked at 1-1, the first extra time of this World Cup began. Germany thought it had completed the comeback when Tah headed in from a Wirtz corner in the 112th minute. Nagelsmann celebrated, but VAR intervened. Anton had clearly blocked Gill on the play, and after an on-field review, the goal was ruled out.
Paraguay survived again.
The final minutes became a battle of nerves. Germany kept pushing, Paraguay kept defending, and the South American side turned the game into a test of resistance, sacrifice and survival. Musiala was booked for a frustrated challenge, Galarza used every trick to manage the clock, and Alfaro’s team somehow dragged the match to penalties.
From there, chaos took over.
Gill saved from Havertz and Woltemade. Neuer kept Germany alive by denying Balbuena. Paraguay missed two chances to win it earlier, with Sanabria sending one wide and Balbuena stopped. But after Tah missed Germany’s final penalty, Canale stepped forward and wrote his name into Paraguayan soccer history.
Until that point, Canale had looked like one of Paraguay’s more vulnerable players. In the biggest moment of his life, he became the hero of more than seven million people.
This was not just a win. It was one of the greatest nights in Paraguay’s World Cup history, a victory built on collective suffering, emotional discipline and the belief that knockout soccer can still belong to the team willing to endure the most.
Germany, valued as one of the deepest and most talented squads in the tournament, leaves far earlier than expected. Paraguay moves on to the last 16 and will face the winner of France vs Sweden.
Match Report
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
After Extra Time: 1-1
Paraguay wins 4-3 on penalties
Goals: 42’ Enciso, 54’ Havertz
Germany: Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Rüdiger (110’ Thiaw), Brown; Nmecha (46’ Goretzka), Pavlovic (79’ Anton); Sané (88’ Woltemade), Havertz, Wirtz (110’ Amiri); Undav (63’ Musiala).
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Paraguay: Gill; Cáceres (99’ Ojeda), Gómez, Canale, Alonso (122’ Balbuena); Almirón (91’ Velázquez), Cubas, Bobadilla (99’ Sanabria), Galarza; Enciso (55’ Mauricio), Ávalos (55’ Caballero).
Coach: Gustavo Alfaro
Referee: Jayed
Yellow Cards: Cubas, Havertz, Musiala, Galarza
Red Cards: None
Penalty Shootout:
Havertz saved,
Mauricio scored,
Kimmich scored,
Gómez scored,
Musiala scored,
Galarza scored,
Woltemade saved,
Sanabria missed,
Amiri scored,
Balbuena saved,
Tah missed,
Canale scored.
