Germany suffered another early World Cup exit, falling to Paraguay in the round of 16 on penalties (1-1, 4-3 in shootout). The Nationalmannschaft, which had been eliminated in the group stage in the previous two tournaments, once again showed too many weaknesses. Paraguay could face France in the next round if France advances.
The contrast in emotions was stark: Paraguayan players danced in front of their bench, celebrating with hundreds of supporters in the stands. Meanwhile, German players retreated to their technical area, some lying down with faces buried in their hands. Germany was eliminated in the World Cup round of 16 after a poor performance that nonetheless provided drama in the penalty shootout (1-1, 4-3 on penalties).
The expected dynamic emerged from the start: Germany dominated possession, holding over 80% of the ball, but struggled to create clear chances. It resembled a cup tie where the underdog strikes first. Paraguay took the lead through Enciso in the 42nd minute. At halftime, Julian Nagelsmann made one change, bringing on Goretzka for Nmecha, and Germany equalized quickly through Havertz in the 54th minute.
However, Germany did not do enough to trouble Paraguay beyond a Havertz header (78th minute) and a Goretzka header (86th). In extra time, they thought they had won it when Tah headed in a Brown corner (102nd minute), but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review. The match went to penalties, and Paraguay proved more accurate and mentally stronger to advance.
The player: José Canale (Paraguay)
It took strong nerves in a rollercoaster penalty shootout. After two missed match points by Paraguay, centre-back José Canale stepped up with another chance. He kept his composure and converted to send his country to the round of 16 (1-1, 4-3). Canale had been solid alongside captain Gustavo Gomez in central defence, only beaten once by Havertz (54th minute). He handled the different German attackers (Undav, Havertz, Woltemade) well before becoming the hero.
The fact: Paraguay await France
If France beat Sweden on Tuesday, they will face Paraguay in the round of 16, a repeat of the 1998 World Cup encounter in Lens. Back then, Laurent Blanc scored a golden goal in extra time to give France a 1-0 win. Aimé Jacquet’s men struggled before Blanc’s decisive strike under the now-defunct golden goal rule.
