Paraguay eliminated Germany from the World Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time, producing a major knockout upset and ending Germany’s previously perfect record in tournament shootouts. Jose Canale scored the decisive kick after a sequence in which both teams let opportunities to settle the contest slip away.

Germany, ranked 12th in the world, controlled much of the opening half against 33rd-ranked Paraguay but created few clear chances. Paraguay instead took the lead when defensive errors left Julio Enciso free near the penalty spot to head home. The goal was Paraguay’s first in the knockout phase of a World Cup and extended Germany’s run of conceding to 10 consecutive tournament matches.

Nine minutes after the second half began at Gillette Stadium, Kai Havertz equalized with a header. The match, played in temperatures that reached 84F (29C), became the first fixture at the tournament to require extra time. Germany then appeared to move ahead through a Jonathan Tah header, but referee Jalal Jayed disallowed it after reviewing the play on the advice of the video assistant referee. Waldemar Anton’s contact with goalkeeper Orlando Gill was judged to have impeded the Paraguayan.

Gill immediately shaped the shootout by saving Germany’s opening attempt from Havertz. Mauricio converted for Paraguay before Joshua Kimmich leveled the sequence and Gustavo Gomez restored Paraguay’s advantage. Jamal Musiala and Matias Galarza then scored, after which Gill stopped Nick Woltemade’s kick.

Paraguay had two chances to close out the shootout but initially failed to take either. Antonio Sanabria sent his attempt wide. Nadiem Amiri then scored for Germany, and Manuel Neuer saved Fabian Balbuena’s kick to keep Germany alive. Tah, whose extra-time header had been ruled out, put Germany’s next penalty over the bar. Canale followed by sending Neuer the wrong way to complete the upset.

The defeat was Germany’s first in a World Cup penalty shootout. Before this match, the team had won all four of its tournament shootouts and converted its previous 15 kicks in such contests. Havertz, Woltemade and Tah were the three German players who failed to score in the deciding sequence.

The result also continued Germany’s difficult run in major tournaments since winning the 2014 World Cup. The team failed to advance from the group stage in both 2018 and 2022 and had not won a World Cup knockout match since its 2014 final victory. In rankings-based terms, the supplied analysis classified Paraguay’s win as the fourth-largest World Cup knockout upset since rankings began in 1992.

For Paraguay, the victory secured progress after a group phase that had included a 4-1 defeat by the United States.