Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah missed crucial penalties as four-time winners Germany were eliminated from the World Cup in a shootout by No. 34-ranked Paraguay on Monday.
The Germans became the first powerhouses at the tournament to be eliminated in the round of 32, after a 1-1 draw led to a penalty shootout in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Paraguay blew two opportunities from the spot to send Germany home before José Canale scored in sudden death.
Julio Enciso gave Paraguay a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute, but Havertz tied it for Germany in the 54th minute. The VAR disallowed a Tah goal in extra time to frustrate the Germans.
“We had to analyze every player, every detail. Thanks to that, I was able to only miss two penalties,” Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill said afterward. “This is for all the people of Paraguay.”
Canale said: “I think we deserved one more game, and, to be honest, considering everything that was said, everything we went through. What I want to highlight from our team is how united we are. … Today was a game we really needed to show our true colors.”
Germany had won six of seven penalty shootouts in major tournaments, including six straight since losing to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final. Germany had never lost a shootout at the World Cup before Monday.
In the only previous World Cup match between the teams, Germany beat Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16 at the 2002 tournament. Nearly a quarter of a century later, Paraguay got revenge.
Paraguay had appeared in five previous knockout games but failed to score in each. They advanced only once in those previous occasions, winning on penalty kicks against Japan in the round of 16 at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Paraguay fell that year to eventual champion Spain in the quarterfinals.
Monday was Germany’s first knockout game since the final in Brazil in 2014, when the Germans beat Argentina 1-0 to capture their fourth World Cup title. The Germans were eliminated from the group stage at the past two World Cup tournaments.
“We had very big plans for this World Cup. It’s very difficult to disappoint again,” Havertz said. “It was difficult to create chances and keep the pace.”
Paraguay took the lead three minutes before halftime against the run of play when Miguel Almirón put the ball into the box, and Enciso headed past Manuel Neuer.
Germany had 78% possession in the first half, yet were left licking their wounds after Enciso’s goal.
But it took Germany only until the 54th minute to tie it, thanks to Havertz. Florian Wirtz’s dangerous cross into the near post was deftly headed home by Havertz to settle Germany’s nerves, but they couldn’t score the winner before penalty kicks.
Germany piled on the pressure during extra time, and Tah thought he had headed home the tiebreaking goal until the VAR spotted a foul on Waldemar Anton, who blocked off Gill.
– World Cup VAR review: Germany wrongly denied goal vs. Paraguay
Gill denied Havertz’s header with his outstretched hand. Gill turned away Anton from point-blank range from a corner in the 119th minute.
Germany were on the brink of elimination when Havertz and Woltemade missed in the penalty shootout. But a miss by Antonio Sanabria, Neuer denying Fabián Balbuena, reopened the door.
However, Tah skied his penalty over the bar, and Canale scored the winner to cement the stunning win.
Paraguay will next face the winner of Tuesday’s match between France and Sweden on Saturday in the round of 16 in Philadelphia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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