Paraguay pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history by defeating Germany 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw on Monday. The four-time world champions delivered a limp display during the first period at the Gillette Stadium. Consequently, the Germans trailed 1-0 at half-time after Julio Enciso scored a brilliant 42nd-minute header from Matias Galarza’s cross.
However, Germany drew level early in the second half. Arsenal forward Kai Havertz scored eight minutes after the restart with a glancing header from Florian Wirtz’s dangerous flank cross. Germany later saw a Jonathan Tah goal from a corner ruled out after a extensive VAR review for a foul on Paraguay’s goalkeeper. Neither side could find a breakthrough during the remainder of regulation, sending the tense knockout game into extra time and a subsequent penalty shootout.
Drama intensified during the spot kicks. Havertz, who recently helped Arsenal secure an English Premier League title, missed the opening kick of the shootout. The German squad ultimately missed three kicks in total, as Nick Woltemade and Tah also suffered penalty misses. Meanwhile, Paraguay missed two of their own kicks before defender Jose Canale confidently scored the decisive spot kick to secure the historic victory.
FIFA ranked Germany number 10 in the world entering the tournament, while Paraguay held the 41st position. This remarkable German defeat represents a monumental shock at the tournament’s knockout stage. Therefore, the South American underdogs advance to the round of 16, where they will face either France or Sweden.
