Germany are out of the World Cup after Paraguay held their nerve to win a gripping penalty shoot-out after surviving a controversial VAR in extra-time.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side thought they had taken the lead in extra-time after Jonathan Tah’s header, but VAR intervened and the Germany defender also missed a vital penalty in the shoot-out before Jose Canale buried the decisive kick.
Paraguay had taken a shock lead through Julio Enciso’s crisp header, but Nagelsmann’s side worked their way back into the contest thanks to Florian Wirtz’s curling cross and the thinnest of touches from Kai Havertz to beat Orlando Gill.
And a thrilling shoot-out saw Paraguay twice miss spot kicks to win the tie with Manuel Neuer’s heroic effort following Kai Havertz and Nick Woltermade’s misses, but after Tah’s third miss for Germany, Canale held his nerve to ensure a second South American side advanced on Tuesday to the last 16 after Brazil’s comeback victory over Japan.
Follow all the latest reaction and updates from the penalty shoot-out between Germany and Paraguay in the World Cup round of 32 below:
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Germany vs Paraguay live updates
- Germany face Paraguay in the World Cup round of 32 | Live on BBC One
- NO GOAL! VAR rules out Jonathan Tah goal after controversial foul on goalkeeper in extra-time (102')
- GOAL! Kai Havertz's delicate header gets Germany level in last-32 (54')
- GOAL! Julio Enciso heads Paraguay into shock lead in Boston (42')
- SAVED! Havertz misses opening spot kick after Gill save [GER 0-0 PAR]
- MISSED! Sanabria spurns chance to win it for Paraguay [GER 2-3 PAR]
- SAVED! Neuer with crucial save to keep Germany alive [GER 3-3 PAR]
- MISSED! Tah blazes over to gift Paraguay chance to win it [GER 3-3 PAR]
- SCORED! Canale buries spot kick to dump Germany out [GER 3-4 PAR]
Up next for Paraguay
00:50 , Alan SmithParaguay’s last-16 tie will be in Philadelphia on Saturday night at 10pm BST - against France or Sweden.
Canale the hero
00:40 , Alan SmithCanale may have scored the decisive penalty. But he also made 15 (yes, fifteen) clearances during the match.
Germany out, Nagelsmann faces the exit
00:32 , Alan SmithThe Paraguay squad are jubilant, as you’d expect. Germany players sink to their knees. They will now go 16 years at least without winning a single knockout match at the World Cup. Julian Nagelsmann’s time as head coach is surely up. They were 1/12 with the bookmakers to win this tie but they were awful throughout and deserve to be out.
AND PARAGUAY HAVE WON IT! Germany 3-4 Paraguay - Canale scores
00:29 , Alan SmithThe defender who made countless blocks to thwart Germany drills his effort into the roof of the net. Germany have lost a shootout. I repeat, Germany have lost a shootout. And Paraguay are into the last 16, awaiting the winners of France and Sweden.
Germany 3-3 Paraguay - Tah misses
00:28 , Alan SmithOh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Tah skies his effort (it’s still rising) and Paraguay have a third kick to win it.
Germany 3-3 Paraguay - Balbuena denied
00:27 , Alan SmithAnd Neuer saves it - diving to his left and getting both hands on a tame enough kick from the veteran defender.
Sudden death it is as the sun sets behind the stands in Boston.
Germany 3-3 Paraguay - Amiri scores
00:26 , Alan SmithThe Mainz substitute stutters too but his finish is more emphatic. But Paraguay still have a kick to win it...
Germany 2-3 Paraguay - Sanabria misses
00:25 , Alan SmithWhat an awful penalty. The pressure gets to the sub as his effort flies a yard wide to the left. Score and he would have sent his team through.
Germany 2-3 Paraguay - Woltemade denied
00:24 , Alan SmithThe big Newcastle forward hesitates and shapes his body to make it so obvious that he is aiming right. And that allows Gill to get down and save. Paraguay are one away...
Germany 2-3 Paraguay - Galarza scores
00:23 , Alan SmithHe rolls it in so casually. Neuer, again, goes the wrong way.
Germany 2-2 Paraguay - Musiala scores
00:22 , Alan SmithGill goes the right way and gets a finger on it but Musiala has just enough power on his attempt to squeeze it in.
Germany 1-2 Paraguay - Gomez scores
00:22 , Alan SmithThe defender coolly side-foots home after Neuer commits early to a dive in the opposite direction.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay - Kimmich scores
00:21 , Alan SmithThe captain finds the bottom left corner. Gill goes the wrong way.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay - Mauricio scores
00:20 , Alan SmithThe substitute sends a left-footed effort into the corner. Neuer goes the right way but cannot keep it out.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay - Havertz denied
00:19 , Alan SmithGermany’s Arsenal forward takes the first kick after Gill does all he can to psyche him out by delaying.
And it works because the big man in between the posts goes the right way to save after Havertz’s stuttering run up.
Full-time! Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:13 , Alan SmithWe’re heading to the spot.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:12 , Alan Smith31’ - From the free kick Amiri finds the side netting.
Balbuena is on for Paraguay, replacing Alonso. The former West Ham player must fancy his chances from the spot.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:10 , Alan Smith30’ - Into the last minute and Galarza now shoulder checks Havertz. He has just been booked but is intent on committing silly fouls. Germany have one last chance. Can they? There will be two added minutes.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:09 , Alan Smith29’ - Germany win corner number 16. Anton rises to meet Brown’s inswinger but it is right down Gill’s throat.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:07 , Alan Smith27’ - Now Galarza trips Musiala and gets himself a yellow. It’s all getting very silly.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:07 , Alan Smith25’ - Musiala, what are you thinking? He commits a dreadful tackle on Galarza, sliding in with a raised right boot at fierce intensity. He is lucky that he does not catch him with the leading leg but just the trailing foot. If he had connected it would have been a leg breaker.
He is shown a yellow card. It should be a red and this referee, you have to say, is now having a shocker. He dishes out a couple of more bookings to each bench. For who exactly we cannot be too sure.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:04 , Alan Smith23’ - Musiala has been fouled down the right by Alonso. The free kick is straight into the arms of GIll, who has been really good. To such an extent predicting he will be a shootout hero appears too obvious.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:01 , Alan Smith20’ - Kimmich swings the corner in and appears to be trying his luck himself. Gill touches it over the bar for another - Brown will take this one on the opposite flank.
Rudiger and Wirtz have come off, Amiri and Thiaw are on.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:00 , Alan Smith19’ - Caballero does really well to halt a Brown charge.
Restarted! Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:56 , Alan SmithWe’re playing again. We probably deserve the drama of a shootout after enduring all of this.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:53 , Alan Smith19’ - Havertz so close! Wirtz puts in an inswinger from the left and the Arsenal player meets it at full stretch. It’s dropping into the far corner until Gill gets a glove to it.
We’ve added 33% on to the first half of extra time.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:52 , Alan Smith18’ - Woltemade goes down in the box and Germany want a penalty but we are playing on.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay.
23:51 , Alan Smith17’ - Paraguay win a corner. Mauricio whips it in but it is too firm. Alonso sends another cross back in and that goes out for a goal kick.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:49 , Alan Smith15’ - We’ll have four added minutes. Nagelsmann was also shown a yellow card, along with Alfaro, the Paraguay head coach.
NO GOAL! Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:49 , Alan SmithThe referee is handing out a yellow card to someone on the Paraguay bench.
But now the goal is ruled out because the officials say Anton prevented the goalkeeper from intervening.
It’s soft, it’s being jeered but Paraguay remain on level terms.
Hold on... there's a VAR check!
23:47 , Alan SmithAnd the referee is going to his monitor. It appears to be because of a block from Anton on the Paraguay goalkeeper.
GOAL! Germany 2-1 Paraguay (Tah, 12ET)
23:46 , Alan Smith11’ - Another Germany corner. Brown’s inswinger is deep again and at last Tah can direct his header into the far corner having peeled away from Canale. Germany are ahead. They barely deserve it.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:44 , Alan Smith11’ - Anton hangs in a nice cross for Woltemade but he is crowded out and cannot leap to meet it. Goal kick.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:42 , Alan Smith9’ - Before the ensuring corner can be taken, Paraguay are making a double change. Bobadilla and Caceres are off. Ojeda and Sanabria are on.
Brown’s corner is cleared.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:41 , Alan Smith7’ - Woltemade turns in the box and off his left-foot shoots. Gomez lunges to block. Germany want a penalty for handball. It does hit his arm but it’s firmly tucked in and there’s no way this could be given as a spot kick.
Gomez is now down injured, insisting that he is winded.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:39 , Alan Smith5’ - Woltemade wins a corner. Anton and Gill then step on each others toes - literally - and exchange some angry words. The referee intervenes and when it is eventually taken - deep yet again - Tah nods it back across goal.
The assistant referee says the ball was actually out of play when he does that. Replays are inconclusive but it’s a goal kick.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:37 , Alan Smith3’ - Woltemade turns and has a shot blocked by Canale. Kimmich strikes the rebound and that too is blocked by Canale.
In his full debut, this has been quite the performance from the Paraguay defender.
Extra-time begins! Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:34 , Alan SmithWe’re back underway.
Velazquez replaces Almiron, who seemed to get through an awful lot of work.
Full-time! Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:29 , Alan SmithIt’s going to extra time. The second half was an improvement on a terrible first. But not by a huge margin.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:28 , Alan Smith95’ - Musiala fizzes in a cross begging to be finished. No one does. And we’re heading towards the extra 30 minutes.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:26 , Alan Smith93’ - Almiron, with no support, shoots from 30 yards and it deflects off the head of Anton, going out for a corner.
It has felt like a game of corners. This is the game’s 14th. And the vast majority have been cleared with ease.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:25 , Alan Smith92’ - Brown sends in a deep corner. Tah meets it but heads it into Gill’s grateful arms.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay.
23:24 , Alan Smith90’ - Kimmich has a shot blocked by Cubas and out for a corner following a counterattack.
There will be five added minutes.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:23 , Alan Smith90’ - A late winner here seems even less likely than Brazil’s earlier.
Let’s all brace for extra-time.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:21 , Alan Smith88’ - Here comes the big man. Woltemade, hitherto an unused sub, is on for Sane.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:19 , Alan Smith86’ - Germany win a corner. Wirtz puts it in and there is some pinball but the offside flag goes up anyway because Anton is well off.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:17 , Alan Smith83’ - This is hardly a relentless chase for a winner from Germany. They remain a bit passive on the ball, lacking the urgency expected at this stage of a knockout tie in which they were heavy favourites pre-match.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:13 , Alan Smith79’ - Bobadilla concedes a foul 25 yards out. Wirtz fancies it. Except he cannot beat the wall.
Anton has replaced Pavlovic.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:12 , Alan Smith78’ - Straight up the other end Havertz has a brilliant chance to put Germany in front with a header that is too close to Gill.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:11 , Alan Smith77’ - Paraguay look spent but then Mauricio sends Caballero away and he looks to be clean through with only Neuer to beat... before being flagged for offside.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:08 , Alan Smith73’ - Back underway, Sane teases in a nice cross that briefly leads to some panic before Gill collects.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:03 , Alan Smith70’ - We will now have the hydration break.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:03 , Alan Smith69’ - Paraguay now win a corner. Mauricio hits this one deep towards Gomez and Neuer collects. He sets a counterattack away but the referee stops them because he says Neuer was fouled and gives a free kick instead. Nagelsmann is furious. Justifiably.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:01 , Alan Smith67’ - A couple of Germany corners pass by without an event of note.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:59 , Alan Smith66’ - Cubas is booked for hauling down Havertz. Off the ball Galarza and Wirtz appear to tangle too. But from the initial incident Germany have a promising free kick 25 yards out and central. There are seven Paraguay players in the wall, three Germans alongside them.
Sane takes it and it comes off the wall.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:57 , Alan Smith63’ - Undav, who was anonymous as a starter, is hooked and Musiala is on to a reasonably loud ovation.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:55 , Alan Smith62’ - Eventually it is taken. Kimmich’s delivery is poor, smothered by Gill.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:54 , Alan Smith60’ - Havertz wins a smart foul, bringing a stretched leg from Galarza about three yards from the right edge of Paraguay’s box as Germany attack it.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:51 , Alan Smith58’ - Mauricio replaces Enciso.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:50 , Alan Smith57’ - Gortezka now has a shot blocked. Have Germany awoken from their slumber at last?
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:50 , Alan Smith56’ - Caballero is on for Paraguay, Avalos is off.
GOAL! Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Havertz, 54)
22:47 , Alan SmithThe Arsenal man levels it, getting in front of Canale to head in a deep cross from Wirtz on the left.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:45 , Alan Smith52’ - Pavlovic hooks a simple pass out of play. There are some jeers from the crowd.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:44 , Alan Smith50’ - Kimmich dawdles on the ball and allows Enciso to nick the ball from him following a tame pass back to Neuer. Enciso gallops inwards and tries his luck from a tight angle. Neuer saves.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:42 , Alan Smith49’ - Havertz has joined Undav as a striker it seems, rather than operating behind as a No.10.
Restarted! Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:38 , Alan Smith46’ - We’re back underway.
22:38 , Alan SmithAnother delay as players from both teams are told to pull up their socks by the referee.
22:36 , Alan SmithGermany are back on the pitch early and Gortezka is coming on, for Nmecha.
Paraguay are taking their time coming back out.
Half-time! Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:21 , Alan Smith50’ - Brown’s delivery is not up to much either.
That’s half-time and Nagelsmann is running as fast he can across the pitch and towards the tunnel. Presumably he is about to light his players up after this horror show.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:19 , Alan Smith49’ - Bobadilla gives away another corner. Kimmich will leave this one for Brown.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:18 , Alan Smith47’ - Better-ish. Nmecha has a shot that is deflected out by Canale. Kimmich’s corner, again, is unable to cause much bother.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:17 , Alan Smith46’ - Kimmich sends in a corner. Galarza heads it away.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:15 , Alan Smith45’ - Germany restart with another passive spell that eventually ends with Kimmich blasting over.
Nagelsmann, already under pressure, must work some magic at the break.
But first we will have five added minutes.
GOAL! Germany 0-1 Paraguay (Enciso 42)
22:13 , Alan SmithThey can - but not directly from the corner.
Almiron’s delivery is punched away by Neuer but Bobadilla wins possession, works it out to the right.
Galarza puts the cross in and Enciso, completely unmarked, powers home.
The celebrations are wild and that’s a reward for their perseverance off the ball.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:11 , Alan Smith41’ - Almiron wins a corner via Brown and... they couldn’t, could they? Almiron will take it.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:10 , Alan Smith41’ - The corner is taken short and it amounts to nothing. A wasted opportunity. “That sums them up,” says an increasingly exasperated Shearer.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:09 , Alan Smith40’ - Caceres heads a diagonal pass from Sane towards Wirtz out for a corner.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:09 , Alan Smith39’ - On BBC Alan Shearer has said calling the game “rubbish” would be “polite.”
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:07 , Alan Smith36’ - A move that sums up Germany’s lack of quality in attack so far: Brown wins the ball off Almiron and drives forward with purpose. He passes to Havertz on the left but with bodies up his pass inside to Undav is fairly dismal and Paraguay clear.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:04 , Alan Smith34’ - The pass count so far reads Germany 239, Paraguay 31.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:02 , Alan Smith31’ - How long can Paraguay maintain this intensity? They are closing down everything, ensuring no gaps exist. Germany, on the other hand, are barely breaking into the jog as they continue to pass it around patiently.
Which is a long way of saying this, really, has been very dull.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:59 , Alan Smith28’ - Almiron goes down looking for a foul off Brown. The referee tells him to get up.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:57 , Alan Smith26’ - Back underway. It really is notable how the more expensive seats empty out during these breaks. The second tier in Boston presently looks about 50% full. Or empty.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:53 , Alan Smith23’ - Hydration break.
It has been far from vintage so far.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:53 , Kieran Jackson
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:52 , Alan Smith22’ - Nothing aside from tepid Germany passing has occurred for four minutes.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:49 , Alan Smith18’ - It’s all a bit predictable at the moment. Germany are dominating the ball. Paraguay are sitting back and defending well.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:46 , Alan Smith16’ - Woltemade, it seems, was merely changing his clothes.
Canale produces a tasty tackle to take the ball off Sane’s feet down the right.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:45 , Alan Smith15’ - Almiron concedes a corner. Kimmich sends it long but the referee gives a free kick after Pavlovic barrels into Gill.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:44 , Alan Smith14’ - Woltemade appears to be putting his shirt on in the dugout. No Germany player appears obviously injured.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:40 , Alan Smith9’ - Pavlovic brings down Almiron with a clumsy challenge. No mouths are blocked when words are exchanged after.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:38 , Alan Smith7’ - And now Wirtz tries to find Havertz with a lovely pass. Canale makes a vital interception to deny the Arsenal player a tap-in. Kimmich puts in the corner and it is cleared to Wirtz who blasts a shot that is still rising.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:36 , Alan Smith5’ - Back underway, Undav gets a first sight of goal following a cutback from Havertz. He sidefoots wide. Gomez, having had some treatment, hobbles back onto the pitch and will aim to continue.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:34 , Alan Smith3’ - Undav and Gomes jar knees and the Paraguayan is down and in an awful lot of bother.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:32 , Alan Smith2’ - Enciso goes deep and at the back post Alonso bundles towards goal in true centre-back fashion following a suboptimal first touch. He is left completely unmarked and a forward would do a much better job nine times ouf 10 but it still brings a save from Neuer which is far from entirely convincing.
Kick-off! Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:31 , Alan Smith1’ - We are underway, Paraguay getting us going, and inside 20 seconds Enciso has a shot that is deflected for a corner.
The kits
21:29 , Alan SmithGermany wear all white, Paraguay are in their second choice strip of dark blue.
T-minus 5 minutes until kick-off!
21:25 , Alex PattleKick-off in Foxborough is just a few moments away. Don’t go anywhere!
The real reason Germany are running out of time after World Cup setback
21:21 , Chris WilsonTop spot in Group E, 10 goals scored and two wins from three. And yet, an air of disappointment.
While Germany’s 2-1 loss to Ecuador was celebrated raucously in the stands of the New York New Jersey Stadium, it changed little for the four-time World Cup winners, who had wrapped up first place in their group five days earlier. However, as the players wandered around the pitch at full-time, it felt like an admission of defeat in more ways than one.
After exiting the tournament at the group stages in 2018 and 2022, a place in the last 32 – and their first World Cup knockout game since the 2014 final – is an achievement for Germany, if an expected one. However, this is a nation that dreams big every four years, and on the same pitch where the final will be held in a few weeks, they produced a performance that suggested they’ll have flown home long before 19 July.
The real reason Germany are running out of time after World Cup setback
Here come the players
21:21 , Alan SmithThey are emerging from the tunnel in Foxborough, walking behind a corner flag and down towards the centre circle before the anthems.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
