Paraguay pulled off a stunning upset in the World Cup, defeating four-time champion Germany 1-1 (4-3 penalties) in the Round of 32. Germany, ranked in the top 10 by FIFA, was expected to win against Paraguay, which was ranked in the 40s.
First Half
Paraguay sat back in a low block to frustrate Germany and hit back on the counter. The strategy paid off when Julio Enciso headed home a cross from Matias Galarza in the 42nd minute to give Paraguay the lead.
Germany dominated the first half but couldn’t find the equalizer until the 54th minute, when Kai Havertz flicked in a header from a tight angle. Despite the equalizer, Germany struggled to break down Paraguay’s defense and the game went to penalties.
Penalties
In the shootout, Paraguay’s goalkeeper Orlando Gill made key saves, including stopping efforts from Havertz and Nick Woltemade. However, when it was Germany’s turn to take the lead, center-back Jonathan Tah blasted his chance over the crossbar, and Jose Canale won it for Paraguay on the following kick.
Germany’s exit is the latest in a series of brutal stings for the team. After winning the 2014 tournament, Germany was eliminated in the group stage in 2018 and 2022. The team will need to focus on developing more youth talents for the next cycle.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.
