PARAGUAY DEFEATS GERMANY 4-3 ON PENALTIES TO ADVANCE IN 2026 WORLD CUP

Paraguay progressed in the 2026 World Cup after defeating Germany 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time. Paraguay took an early lead through Julio Enciso, who headed in from a corner kick in the 42nd minute. Germany equalised in the 54th minute when Kai Havertz scored with a glancing header. The match remained level through extra time, during which a German goal by Jonathan Tah was disallowed following a VAR review that identified a foul by Waldemar Anton on Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

Germany held the majority of possession and created numerous attacking opportunities throughout the match. The Germans registered 16 corner kicks and eight shots that Paraguay's defence blocked. Gill made six saves across the 120 minutes of regular and extra time. Germany entered the fixture as the favoured team but could not convert its territorial advantage into a winning goal.

Paraguay progressed to the next stage of the tournament following the penalty shootout victory. Gill blocked two of Germany's penalty attempts during the shootout. The result eliminated Germany, a four-time World Cup champion, from the 2026 tournament.