Paraguay secured one of the biggest upsets in the World Cup so far as they defeated Germany in a peanlty kick shootout 1-1 (4-3).

Die Mannschaft once again had Manuel Neuer in net behind a backline that featured Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rüdiger, Jonathan Tah and Nathaniel Brown. Felix Nmecha and Aleksandar Pavlović patrolled the midfield.

Leroy Sané and Florian Wirtz were on the wings while Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav attacked through the middle.

Orlando Gill started in net for Paraguay. He was in goal behind a backline that featured Juan Caceres, Gustavo Gómez, Jose Canale, and Junior Alonso. Miguel Almirón, Andres Cubas, and Damian Bobadilla patrolled the midfield while Gabriel Ávalos and Julio Enciso played more advanced roles.

Paraguay got off to a fast start earning a corner less than a minute into the match. The ensuing ball fell to Alonso right in front of goal but he was unable to take advantage of the opportunity.

Undav attempted to chip Gill in the fifth minute but the chance went wide. From there Germany turned up the pressure as it sought to open the scoring.

But while Germany continued to have firm control of the game and possession, Die Mannschaft couldn't breakdown the Paraguyan defensive block. As the hydration break arrived, Paraguay was likley pleased with its efforts to frusterate the Germans.

The trend would continue outside of the hydration break. Paraguay got some chances on the counter but largely just booted the ball downfield.

But you don't need many chances to find the abck of the net. Off a recycled corner, Almiron dropped a ball forward to Matías Galarza on the flank. The Atlanta United man then sent a cross into the box to a streaking Enciso who headed the ball home in the 43rd minute.

With the goal, Paraguay could sit back and do what it does best. The South American nation only conceded 10 goals in 18 games played in CONMEBOL qualification.

Nmecha looked to level the score in stoppage time but his shot went wide. A later chance from Kimmich sailed directly into Gill's hands.

Germany made a change coming out of half time, clearly looking to draw level early. Leon Goretzka came into the match in favor of Nmecha. Still, the Germans seemed oddly disjointed. They would begin to enter into the final third but then whoever was on the ball would be surrounded by defenders.

But eventually, Germany found the equalizer as Havertz headed home a cross from Wirtz to level the score in the 54th minute. After the goal, Gustavo Caballero repalced Ávalos. Soon after, Enciso was swapped out in favor of Mauricio.

Germany would continue to add firepower to the field with Jamal Musiala replacing Undav in the 63rd minute. Soon after Cubas would receive a yellow card for crunching tackle in the 65th minute.

Havertz nearly doubled his tally in the 77th minute but this time, Gill made a great save to keep the score level. Germany made an additional change in the 79th minute as Pavlović was swapped in favor of Waldemar Anton.

A corner off the foot of Wirtz found the head of Leo Goretzka but the header was kept out of the net by a German teammate. Soon after in the 88th minute Nick Woltemade replaced Sané.

Jonathan Tah had a chance to head home the game winner off of a corner in stoppage time but his effort was sent directly into the hands of Gill.

90 minutes would prove not enough time as neither side could find the pivotal goal. This became the first match to go to extra time in the Round of 32.

Paraguay made a change to start off the extra stanza. The CONMEBOL nation took off Miguel Almirón in favor of Gustavo Velázquez.

Die Mannschaft continued to ramp up the attacking pressure but failed to find the crucial goal early on.

Paraguay made additional changes as Braian Ojeda and Antonio Sanabria replaced Bobadilla and Cáceres in the 99th minute. Germany would continue pressing forward and eventually would get the crucial goal as Tah rocketed a header off of a corner kick from Nathaniel Brown.

But VAR intervened. In what was an extremly harsh call in a World Cup knockout game, Anton was ruled to have fouled the goalkeeper.

Germany made two changes in the 110th minute as Malick Thiaw and Nadiem Amiri replaced Rüdiger and Wirtz.

Anton looked to atone for his mistake in the 119th minute but his header was directed right at Gill. Junior Alonso was replaced by Fabián Balbuena in the 120th minute.

Even after 120 minutes, a winner couldn't be crowned. It would take pemlty kicks to seperate these two squads.

Havertz stepped up to the spot first and had his shot saved by Gill. Mauricio stepped up to the spot first for Paraguay and beat Neuer to the right side of goal.

Next up for Germany was Kimmich who did much better than Havertz and slotted a shot into the bottom left corner. Captain Gustavo Gómez stepped to the spot for Paraguay and unfortunately for Neuer he guessed wrong as the goalkeeper went to his left with the ball tricking into the right side of the goal.

Musiala was the third German to step to the spot and his shot beat Gill to the left side of the goal. Galarza looked to reply and did so with calm as he once again forced Neuer to guess wrong and Paraguay had its third goal of the shootout.

Woltemade had his shot saved by Gill but Neuer strecthed wide to stop Sanabria's shot.

Amiri was the next German to step up to the spot and he wrongwayed Gill. Neuer needed to make a stop on the following penalty to keep Germany's World Cup hopes alive. Balbuena stepped to the spot and the sub had his shot saved.

Tah looked to once again become a game-winning goal scorer for Germany but his shot flied over the bar. Paraguay had another chance to clinch the win and didn't let it go to waste as Canale buried his shot.

Paraguay will now face the winner of France and Sweden in the Round of 16.

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