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Historic Upset: Paraguay Eliminates Germany
Paraguay ignited the biggest shockwave of the World Cup 2026 so far by eliminating title favorites Germany. The match ended 1-1 after regular and extra time, with Paraguay clinching a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Greater Boston.
- The Goals: Julio Enciso opened the scoring for Paraguay with a brilliant header in the 42nd minute. Germany, who dominated large stretches of the game, found their equalizer through a Kai Havertz header in the 54th minute.
- The Shootout: Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill turned into a national hero, saving crucial penalties. For Germany, Kai Havertz, substitute Nick Woltemade, and Jonathan Tah all failed to convert, offsetting misses by Paraguay’s Antonio Sanabria and Fabián Balbuena.
A Historic Defeat: This marks the first time in FIFA World Cup history that Germany has ever lost a penalty shootout, having successfully progressed through all four of their previous shootout instances.
Paraguay advances to the Round of 16, where they will face the winner of the Tuesday clash between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Morocco Beats the Netherlands in Another Thriller
Over in Monterrey, Mexico, Morocco—the fourth-place finishers of the 2022 World Cup—added another glorious chapter to their football history by eliminating the Netherlands. After grinding out a 1-1 draw through 120 grueling minutes, the Atlas Lions triumphed 3-2 on penalties.
Bounou and Saibari Seal the Win
The heroics culminated when Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a spectacular save on Crysencio Summerville’s fifth penalty kick. Ismael Saibari, Morocco’s top scorer in the tournament, then stepped up and confidently buried the final penalty to send the Atlas Lions through.
How Morocco Fought Back Twice
- On the Pitch: The Netherlands took the lead in the 72nd minute courtesy of Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo. Morocco dramatically equalized in the first minute of stoppage time (90+1′) when Fulham defender Issa Diop scored a powerful header.
- In the Shootout: After Naïel El Aynaoui missed Morocco’s very first penalty, the team rallied. Sofiane Rahimi, Chamseddine Talbi, and Saibari successfully converted, overcoming a miss by captain Achraf Hakimi.
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Tactical Breakdown & Round of 16 Outlook
Morocco thoroughly deserved the victory, proving to be the more dangerous side with superior chances throughout regular and extra time. The Netherlands appeared content to manage the clock and play for penalties—a strategy that ultimately backfired. While Teun Koopmeiners and Wout Weghorst scored for the Dutch, Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Summerville all missed.
Sweet Revenge & What’s Next
With this victory, Morocco avenged their only previous World Cup meeting against the Netherlands, which ended in a Dutch win during the 1994 group stage in Orlando. This is the third time Morocco has reached the Round of 16 in their seven World Cup appearances (following 1986 and 2022).
Next Matchup: Morocco will travel to Houston next Saturday to face Canada, who advanced on Sunday after a 1-0 win over South Africa.
Stay tuned for live updates, post-match analysis, and complete coverage of the World Cup 2026 knockout stages!
