The contrast in scenes was striking: Paraguayan players danced in front of their bench, facing the stands where hundreds of their supporters celebrated them. The Germans, meanwhile, were all huddled in their technical area, some lying down, faces in their hands. The Nationalmannschaft was eliminated in the round of 32 of the World Cup after a match of rare poverty but with some drama right up to the penalty shootout (1-1, 3-4 on penalties).

The expected power dynamic set in from the start: Germany monopolized the ball to an astonishing degree (over 80% possession) but struggled immensely to create danger. At times it resembled a French Cup match, and the underdog Paraguayans surprised the entire stadium by scoring through Enciso (42nd minute). Julian Nagelsmann made only one adjustment at halftime (Goretzka for Nmecha), and the Germans deserved credit for equalizing quickly through Havertz (54th minute).

But overall, they did too little to trouble Paraguay, apart from another Havertz header (78th minute) and one from Goretzka (86th minute). They thought they had found relief in extra time when Tah headed in a corner from Brown (102nd minute), but the referee disallowed the goal after a VAR review. Qualification ultimately came down to penalties, and in that exercise, the Paraguayans were the more accurate and mentally stronger to secure their place in the next round.

The player: José Canale (Paraguay)

You needed strong nerves during the rollercoaster penalty shootout. After two missed match points for Paraguay, José Canale stepped up with another chance at his feet. The central defender did not waver, sending his country to the paradise of the round of 16 (1-1, 3-4 on penalties). He had already been impeccable alongside his captain, Gustavo Gomez, in an unyielding central defense that was breached only once by Havertz (54th minute). But Canale expertly handled the different types of attackers he faced (Undav, Havertz, Woltemade) before becoming his team’s hero.

The fact: Paraguay awaits France

What if the French team meets Paraguay in the round of 16 of a World Cup? If they qualify against Sweden on Tuesday, the Blues will face the South American team at this stage of the competition in a remake of the clash between the two nations during the 1998 edition in France, at the Stade Bollaert in Lens. Aimé Jacquet’s men had to battle into extra time to overcome the Paraguayans thanks to a golden goal (a rule since abandoned) by Laurent Blanc at the end of the match.

By Boureima Amadou — Reporter