World Cup
“This is for all the people of Paraguay.”
Orlando Gill (right) goalkeeper for Paraguay and teammate Gustavo Gomez (center) block a shot on goal in front of Germany’s Nick Woltemade during extra time of a World Cup match at Foxborough. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
June 30, 2026 | 9:38 AM
3 minutes to read
FOXBOROUGH — And so we’re down to but one more match here during this delightful World Cup, and this much we know for sure right now.
It’s going to have to be an all-timer among all-timers to surpass Monday afternoon’s penultimate one in terms of drama, thrills, and suspense.
Paraguay, a heavy underdog, defeated Germany, 4-3, on penalties in the knockout round, reaching the Round of 16 for the first time since 2010. Paraguay had three chances to win the shootout, with José Canale drilling the winner into the upper right corner on the sixth kick.
“I think we deserved one more game and, to be honest, considering everything that was said [about us being underdogs], everything we went through,’’ said Canale. “But what I want to highlight from our team is how united we are.”
Monday’s victors will play on the Fourth of July in Philadelphia, against the winner of Tuesday’s match between France and Sweden. The winner of that advances to Foxborough’s World Cup finale on July 9.
Germany was bounced from the World Cup before the Round of 16 for the third straight time since winning the tournament in 2014.
Monday’s match, the biggest stunner of the World Cup so far save for perhaps Cape Verde’s draw with Spain in group play, had a little of everything — an unexpected early Paraguay lead, a relentless German offense that couldn’t get results in the first half, the tying goal nine minutes into the second half, a go-ahead goal waved off by replay, an otherworldly performance by Paraguay goalie Orlando Gill, and two tense 15-minute extra periods before the breathtakingly tense shootout.
The field tilted in Germany’s direction early on, and for the vast majority of the match. The Germans had 75 percent of the possession; outshot Paraguay, 21-7, including 6-3 on shots on goal; and had 41 touches inside Paraguay’s box to 13 for the eventual victors. At the 35-minute mark, completed passes were in favor of Germany, 233-44.
But Paraguay, which played a disciplined, suffocating defense that might have given any hockey fans in attendance flashbacks to the New Jersey Devils’ neutral-zone trap days, defied the odds and expectations by scoring first and having the opportunity to play much of the afternoon with a lead.
In the 41st minute, Julio Enciso, a 22-year-old whose day job is playing for RC Strasbourg in France’s Ligue 1, scored on a dazzling header, redirecting a cross from Matias Galarza. Enciso, the usual leader of Paraguay’s attack, was left unmarked in a collective gaffe by the German defense.
When it was over, Enciso cried tears of joy.
The raucous Paraguay fans — who sang virtually the entire match, to the constant beat of a drummer who is going to have very sore arms today — were giddy with their team’s one-goal lead at halftime.
It did not last long. Kai Havertz — who spent much of the match trucking Paraguay defenders and wreaking physical havoc — slipped a header inside the far post in the 54th minute to even the score. Florian Wirtz set up the goal with a nifty cross to Havertz.
With Germany dominating the ball, preventing Paraguay possession and finally finding the net, it may have seemed close to inevitable that it would score again and take command.
It could not do so in regulation — Paraguay’s players actually celebrated reaching extra time — but Germany appeared to in the 102nd minute, when Jonathan Tah headed in what seemed to be the winner. But Paraguay got a reprieve when the goal was disallowed after review — VAR identified a foul on Gill by Waldemar Anton — and a scoreless second half of extra time sent the match to penalty kicks.
Gill got Paraguay started the way it had hoped, stopping Havertz on the first kick. Paraguay led, 3-2, after three rounds on conversions by Mauricio, Galarza, and Gustavo Gómez. When Gill stopped Nick Woltemade, Paraguay had its chance to prevail. It finally did on Canale’s winner, a goal for all time.
“This is for all the people of Paraguay,” Gill said.
In a way, it was for Foxborough, too. There’s one more match to go, but the second-to-last one is going to be remembered here long after the World Cup is complete.
Chad Finn
Chad Finn is a sports columnist for Boston.com. He has been voted Favorite Sports Writer in Boston in the annual Channel Media Market and Research Poll for the past four years. He also writes a weekly sports media column for the Globe and contributes to Globe Magazine.
⚽ Get the latest World Cup news
Receive updates on the 2026 FIFA World Cup
