Paraguay's Stunning Win Over Germany Leaves Fans in Shock

After 120 minutes of play and six rounds of penalty kicks, Paraguay sends Germany home and survives to the next round of the World Cup.

The match outside Boston on June 29 was the first of the Round of 32 to go into extra time with a 1–1 tie. The score remained unchanged at the end of the two 15-minute halves, after the match officials called back what would have been Germany’s go-ahead goal, determining the goalkeeper was fouled.

The South American underdogs held on to win 4–3 in penalty kicks.

This marks Germany’s first loss in penalty kicks, coming into the match 4–0, and the first-ever win on penalties seen in the World Cup’s round of 32 teams.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña declared June 30 a national holiday to commemorate the victory.

Paraguay’s goalkeeper, meanwhile, secured that win having only faced one previous penalty kick beforehand.

Paraguay struck first off a header from Julio Enciso in the 42nd minute, but Germany’s Kai Havertz found the equalizer with his own header under coverage at the 54th minute.

After that goal, Germany appeared to retain the momentum, but Paraguay’s defense literally stood in the way of the net. Five of Germany’s eight shots in the second half were blocked, and Paraguay blocked eight shots overall.

Germany got six of their 21 shots on goal, and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill stopped all attempts but one.

The match was also physical and emotional. Paraguay earned 12 fouls, with six coming in the last third of the match, and two yellow cards. Germany was handed 18 fouls by the referees, two of which were yellow cards. Officials also handed yellow cards to both teams’ benches.

The result of the two previous knockout matches—Canada vs. South Africa and Brazil vs. Japan—was decided on a goal late into the allotted stoppage time, but Canada and Brazil both took the win in regulation time.

Germany’s bout with Paraguay was the first of the knockout round to go beyond that.

World Cup extra time features two 15-minute halves, plus stoppage time, with a short break in between. Germany and Paraguay waited until the extra time to make some of their substitutions and make last-minute changes to who would have to take penalty kicks.

World Cup penalty kicks begin with a best-of-five competition, and then, if a victor is still not declared, penalties continue in a “sudden death” format.

That best-of-five phase ended in a three-three draw with goals from Germany’s Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and Nadiem Amiri, as well as Paraguay’s Mauricio, Gustavo Gomez, and Matias Galarza. Gill and German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer both made two saves.

Sudden death ended with a clear miss over the net from Germany’s Jonathan Tah, and a goal from Jose Canale.

Paraguay moves on to the round of 16, where they will play either France or Sweden in Philadelphia at 5 p.m. on July 4.