Paraguay produced one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history on Monday, eliminating four-time champions Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw
Paraguay produced one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history on Monday, eliminating four-time champions Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, in a result that has been hailed as among the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history.
Germany, ranked 10th in the world, were stunned by Paraguay, ranked 41st, in a contest that defied expectations from the opening whistle.
Paraguay took a surprise lead in first-half stoppage time when Julio Enciso rose to head home a cross from Matias Galarza, giving the South Americans their first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match.
Germany had dominated possession in a largely uneventful first half but struggled to break down a well-organised Paraguayan defence, managing little of note before the break.
Germany responded early in the second half, with Kai Havertz levelling matters eight minutes after the restart, glancing home a header from a Florian Wirtz delivery from the flank to make it 1-1.
The four-time champions pushed for a winner but could not find one in normal time, and the match went to extra time level at 1-1.
Germany appeared to have snatched victory deep into the additional period when Jonathan Tah powered home a header from a corner, only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review, with Waldemar Anton judged to have impeded Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the build-up. Neither side could find a breakthrough thereafter, sending the tie to penalties.
The shootout produced high drama, with Germany missing three of their first four spot-kicks. Havertz’s opening effort was saved by Gill before Mauricio and Jorge Gomez netted for Paraguay either side of a successful Joshua Kimmich penalty.
Jamal Musiala levelled the shootout at 2-2 before Galarza put Paraguay ahead again. Nick Woltemade then missed for Germany, and Antonio Sanabria had the chance to win it for Paraguay but sent his effort wide.
Nadiem Amiri kept Germany alive to make it 3-3, and Manuel Neuer produced a crucial save to deny Fabian Balbuena, but Tah then blazed his kick over the bar, leaving the door open for Paraguay.
Defender Jose Canale stepped up and converted the winning penalty past Neuer to send Paraguay through, sparking jubilant celebrations among the South American side and their fans.
It marked the first time in World Cup history that Germany have lost a penalty shootout, having previously won all four of their World Cup shootouts.
The defeat extends Germany’s wait for a knockout-stage win at the tournament since lifting the trophy in 2014, with the four-time champions failing to advance past the last 32 for the second successive World Cup.
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann said afterwards that there were aspects of the team’s performance that needed to change, while goalkeeper Neuer offered an apology to fans, saying the players needed to take a hard look at themselves following the early exit.
Paraguay advance to a last-16 meeting with the winner of France or Sweden, and the result has been compared by observers to Bulgaria’s shock quarter-final win over defending champions Germany at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, previously considered the team’s biggest knockout-stage upset. Paraguay has declared a national holiday in celebration of the historic victory.
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