Paraguay Scores History
Julio Enciso Makes History as Paraguay Stuns Germany with Early World Cup Knockout Goal
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Key Points
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Paraguay created an early danger when Julio Enciso’s first-minute corner found Junior Alonso unmarked at the far post, but Alonso couldn’t convert.
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Germany dominated proceedings with about 79% possession, but Paraguay’s defense held firm and goalkeeper Orlando Gill wasn’t called into any notable saves.
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Julio Enciso’s 42nd-minute header against Germany made him the first Paraguayan to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, finishing Matías Galarza’s cross.
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The game took place during Paraguay’s fifth World Cup knockout appearance in Foxborough, Massachusetts (reported as Boston Stadium); their knockout record before this match was 1-4, with their only prior knockout win coming in 2010 against Japan via penalties.
Paraguay shocked Germany at Boston Stadium on Sunday, taking a 1-0 lead into halftime thanks to a historic header from 22-year-old Julio Enciso. The goal — scored in the 42nd minute — made Enciso the first Paraguayan ever to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, stunning a German side that had controlled 79% of the ball USA Today.
Germany equalized through a Kai Havertz header in the 54th minute, but the damage was done. La Albirroja — ranked 37th in the world against Germany's 12th — had exposed the fragility of a side still haunted by back-to-back group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 101 Great Goals.
Enciso's Header Breaks a 96-Year Drought
Paraguay had never scored in a World Cup knockout game before Sunday. Their best run — a quarterfinal in 2010 — came entirely without a knockout-stage goal, won through a 0-0 draw and a penalty shootout over Japan. That 16-year drought ended in the 42nd minute at Foxborough Central Oregon Daily.
The goal came against the run of play. Miguel Almirón beat Nathaniel Brown on the wing and found Matías Galarza. Galarza's cross picked out Enciso, who soared to head the ball past Manuel Neuer into the bottom corner. Enciso later called it "the goal of his life" Sports Yahoo.
Germany's 79% Possession Produced Almost Nothing
Germany dominated the ball from the opening whistle. Their possession peaked at 81% at points during the first half. But Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill was not called into a single major save. Paraguay had just one shot on target in 42 minutes — and it went in USA Today.
BBC pundit Alan Shearer called the early stalemate "rubbish, to be polite," highlighting how Germany's 239 completed passes produced no clear chances. Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann had benched star attacker Jamal Musiala in favor of Deniz Undav, a move analysts called "lacking clarity" BBC.
Alfaro Built a Team Nobody Wants to Face
Coach Gustavo Alfaro took over Paraguay after they lost every game at the 2024 Copa America. He rebuilt them from scratch. In qualifying, they beat both Brazil and Argentina. "I told the players this is our first World Cup," Alfaro said. "Only the chosen ones go. If you take advantage of it, this improves your life" 101 Great Goals.
Paraguay entered the tournament with the lowest expected goals (xG) average of any remaining side — just 1.25 per game. But their defensive system, described by analyst Herculez Gomez as "defensively solid, calculated, and frustrating to play against," turned that low-block approach into a weapon Central Oregon Daily.
Germany's Knockout Failures Put Nagelsmann's Job at Risk
Germany won Group E in 2026 but lost to Ecuador in the group stage, exposing defensive problems. Before the match, Nagelsmann said bluntly: "If you win, everything is perfect. If you lose, everything is s**t. So we have to win." A Round of 32 exit would be their third consecutive tournament collapse BBC.
Bastian Schweinsteiger said he "missed clarity and dominance" in the German performance. Reports already circulate about Nagelsmann's future, with Jürgen Klopp's name mentioned as a possible replacement. The winner of this match faces France or Sweden on July 4th in Philadelphia Sports Yahoo.
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