Jose Canale’s final penalty ended Germany’s World Cup in Boston, sending Paraguay through 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw that Germany had spent almost the entire night trying to bend to its will.
Enciso punishes Germany pressure
Germany controlled the ball from the opening stages, finishing with 75% possession, 21 shots and 16 corners. Paraguay had only 25% of the ball and seven shots, but their defensive resistance kept the first half tight rather than chaotic.
The break came in the 42nd minute, when Mathias Galarza crossed from the right and J. Enciso headed Paraguay in front. It was one of Paraguay’s rare advances, but it turned German control into German anxiety.
Kai Havertz repaired the score in the 54th minute, glancing in Florian Wirtz’s cross at the near post for 1-1. Germany kept pushing, but six shots on target from 21 attempts told the story of pressure without enough precision.
Jalal Jayed overturns Tah breakthrough
The Germany Paraguay referee was Jalal Jayed of Morocco, and his defining intervention arrived in extra time. In the 102nd minute, Jonathan Tah headed in from Nathaniel Brown’s corner, but after a VAR review the goal was ruled out for Waldemar Anton’s foul on the Paraguay goalkeeper.
That Germany Paraguay VAR moment gave Paraguay one more escape route. Both teams ended with two yellow cards, while Germany’s 18 fouls to Paraguay’s 12 underlined how tense the tie became as the minutes drained away.
Canale settles shootout as Germany crack
Orlando Gill saved from Havertz and N. Woltemade, and Tah later missed the target. Manuel Neuer denied Fabian Balbuena and A. Sanabria also failed to score, but Mauricio, G. Gomez, M. Galarza and Canale converted for Paraguay.
Germany’s scorers were J. Kimmich, J. Musiala and N. Amiri, yet that was not enough. Paraguay advance to face the winner of France and Sweden, while Germany suffer their first World Cup elimination on penalties.
The standings line still shows Germany ranked 1st on 6 points and Paraguay 3rd on 4, but the knockout consequence is harsher and clearer: Paraguay move on from the Round of 32, and Germany are out.
Match Information
Competition: World Cup, Round of 32. Date & Time: Monday 29 June 2026, 22:30 CET. Venue: Gillette Stadium, Boston. Referee: Jalal Jayed, Morocco.
