Paraguay produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their Round of 32 clash.
The victory sent Paraguay into the Round of 16 and marked the first time Germany had lost a penalty shootout in FIFA World Cup history.
Paraguay struck first in the 42nd minute when Julio Enciso calmly finished from close range after being set up by Matías Galarza, giving the South Americans a deserved halftime lead.
Germany responded strongly after the restart and levelled in the 54th minute through Kai Havertz, who converted from close range after Florian Wirtz’s well-weighted pass.
Despite several chances, neither side could find a winner in regulation time, sending the contest to a penalty shootout.
The shootout was filled with drama from the outset.
Havertz missed Germany’s opening penalty, while Mauricio converted Paraguay’s first kick to give his side the early advantage.
Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala scored for Germany, with Gabriel Gómez and Matías Galarza responding for Paraguay to keep the scores level.
Nick Woltemade then missed for Germany, while Antonio Sanabria failed to convert for Paraguay, leaving the outcome delicately poised.
Nadiem Amiri scored Germany’s fifth penalty, but Fabián Balbuena missed for Paraguay, briefly handing the Germans a lifeline.
However, Jonathan Tah failed to capitalise, missing Germany’s next spot kick and opening the door for Juan Canale, who calmly converted the decisive penalty to seal a famous 4-3 shootout victory for Paraguay.
The result ended Germany’s campaign in heartbreaking fashion after their spirited second-half comeback and extinguished the four-time champions’ hopes of another World Cup title.
For Paraguay, the victory highlighted their resilience, discipline and composure under pressure as they advanced to the Round of 16 with renewed confidence.
Source: (NAN)
