Germany 1-1 Paraguay: Havertz 54; Enciso 42 (3-4 pens)
After 120 minutes it came down to those few kicks, sudden death, the long walk, quivering goalkeepers and a Germany side desperately trying to cling on. Spotkicks are the delight of the knockout stages and here Kai Havertz had Germany playing catchup from the very beginning.
The Arsenal man lumped a careless opening effort towards Paraguay’s Orlando Gill, who was very happy to collect the gift. Paraguay seemed impeccable in their first three kicks and after Germany’s Nick Woltemade was also denied by Gill, it seemed it would surely be over, but then Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena also missed for Paraguay.
So Germany were back in it. But only momentarily as Jonathan Tah also stepped forward and fired over the bar. Then it was Jose Canale’s moment and he did not miss.
Julian Nagelsmann’s team had kept possession from the opening whistle but could not find a way through Paraguay’s solid defensive shape. They had almost 80 per cent of the ball but Gill was rarely called into meaningful action and it was Paraguay instead who struck first four minutes before the break.
Manuel Neuer punched a corner clear but the South Americans recycled possession smartly. Miguel Almiron released Matias Galarza down the right and his cross found Julio Enciso, who had escaped his marker to guide a header beyond the Germany goalkeeper from close range.
Yet Germany came out with greater urgency after the restart and eventually found a breakthrough nine minutes into the second half. Florian Wirtz drifted into space on the left before delivering an inviting cross that Havertz met with a glancing header into the far corner.
Germany then had all the momentum and Wirtz and Havertz combined again midway through the half, only for Gill to produce an excellent save. At the other end, Enciso missed a golden opportunity to restore Paraguay’s lead after capitalising on a misplaced Joshua Kimmich pass, Neuer spreading himself well to deny the forward.
Germany thought they had finally found the winner in extra time when Tah powered home from a corner, but the goal was ruled out after Waldemar Anton was adjudged to have impeded Gill before the header. As the clock ticked down, it became a war of attrition and neither side could muster a decent attack. Then came the penalties.
