By Boluwatife Oshadiya | June 30th 2026
Key Points
- Paraguay eliminated Germany on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32
- Julio Enciso opened the scoring before Kai Havertz levelled for Germany
- Jonathan Tah’s missed penalty sealed one of the tournament’s biggest upsets
Main Story
Paraguay produced one of the biggest surprises of the FIFA World Cup by defeating four-time champions Germany on penalties after a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Boston to reach the World Cup last 16
Despite dominating possession throughout much of the first half, Germany struggled to create meaningful opportunities against Paraguay’s disciplined defensive setup. Their only effort on target before the break came from Joshua Kimmich, whose tame strike posed little threat.
Paraguay capitalised on one of their few attacking moves in the opening half. Miguel Almirón combined with Matías Galarza before Julio Enciso headed home to give La Albirroja an unlikely lead heading into halftime.
Germany improved after the restart and eventually found an equaliser when substitute Leon Goretzka’s cross was flicked into the net by Kai Havertz for his third goal of the tournament.
The remainder of normal time and extra time produced few clear-cut chances. Germany thought they had completed the comeback when Jonathan Tah headed into the net, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review that identified a foul on Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
The contest eventually went to penalties, where both teams missed two attempts before Tah blazed Germany’s decisive kick over the bar. José Canale converted Paraguay’s final penalty to secure a famous victory and send the South Americans into the quarter-finals.
The defeat marks another disappointing World Cup exit for Germany, whose wait for a return to the latter stages of the tournament continues.
What’s Being Said
Paraguay captain Miguel Almirón praised his team’s determination following the historic victory.
“This group believed from the first day that we could compete with anyone. Tonight we showed courage, discipline and heart,” Almirón said after the match.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann admitted his side failed to capitalise on their dominance.
“We controlled possession but did not create enough clear chances. At this level, those margins decide matches,” Nagelsmann said.
What’s Next
- Paraguay will face either France or Sweden in the World Cup quarter-finals.
- Germany will begin preparations for their next international competitions following another early World Cup exit.
- FIFA will confirm Paraguay’s quarter-final fixture after the remaining Round of 32 matches conclude.
Bottom Line: Paraguay’s disciplined defensive display and composure in the penalty shootout delivered one of the World Cup’s biggest upsets, while Germany’s inability to convert possession into decisive chances once again exposed recurring problems in knockout football.
