Paraguay stun Germany on penalties to reach world cup quarterfinals

Germany crashed out of the World Cup in the round of 16 after a painful penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay (1-1, 3-4 on penalties). The Nationalmannschaft’s performance was riddled with shortcomings, continuing a troubling trend after early exits in the previous two tournaments. Paraguay now await the winner of France versus Sweden in the quarterfinals.

The scenes after the final whistle were a study in contrasts. Paraguayan players danced in front of their bench, celebrating with hundreds of supporters in the stands. Meanwhile, Germany’s team retreated to their technical area, some lying on the ground with faces buried in their hands. The Nationalmannschaft’s World Cup journey ended in the round of 16 after a lackluster performance that nonetheless produced drama in the penalty shootout (1-1, 3-4 on penalties).

The expected pattern emerged early: Germany dominated possession with over 80% of the ball but struggled to create clear chances. It sometimes felt like a classic cup tie, and the underdog Paraguay stunned the stadium by taking the lead through Enciso in the 42nd minute. Julian Nagelsmann made only one change at halftime, bringing on Goretzka for Nmecha, and Germany quickly equalized through Havertz in the 54th minute.

But Germany did too little to trouble Paraguay beyond a Havertz header in the 78th minute and a Goretzka effort in the 86th. They thought they had broken through in extra time when Tah connected with a Brown corner in the 102nd minute, but the referee disallowed the goal after a VAR review. Qualification came down to penalties, and Paraguay proved more accurate and mentally resilient to secure their place in the next round.

Player of the match: José Canale (Paraguay)

The penalty shootout was a rollercoaster. After Paraguay missed two match points, defender José Canale stepped up with another chance. The center-back kept his nerve to send his country into the quarterfinals (1-1, 3-4 on penalties). He had been rock-solid alongside captain Gustavo Gomez in a central defensive partnership that was breached only once by Havertz (54th minute). Canale expertly handled a variety of attacking threats, including Undav, Havertz, and Woltemade, before becoming the hero of his team.

Looking ahead: Paraguay could face France

Could France face Paraguay in the World Cup quarterfinals? If Les Bleus defeat Sweden on Tuesday, they will meet the South American side in a rematch of their 1998 encounter at Stade Bollaert in Lens. That match required extra time, with Laurent Blanc scoring a golden goal – a rule since abolished – to send France through.