Gill penalty heroics knock Germany out against Paraguay

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·30 giugno 2026

Gill penalty heroics knock Germany out against Paraguay

Paraguay stunned four-time World Cup champions Germany, winning 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Boston to reach the quarter-finals. Julio Enciso headed Paraguay into a first-half lead before Kai Havertz equalized nine minutes into the second half.

Germany dominated possession across 120 minutes but could not find a winner against a resilient Paraguay defence. Orlando Gill then saved two penalties in the shootout as Jonathan Tah blazed his effort over the bar, sealing Germany's earliest World Cup exit since their group-stage eliminations in 2018 and 2022. GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Germany v Paraguay.

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Winners

Orlando Gill (Paraguay)

The goalkeeper delivered a performance for the ages, saving penalties from Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade in the shootout to break German hearts. His sharp reactions proved decisive when Germany needed to convert to stay alive.

Throughout 120 minutes, Gill repeatedly denied Germany's best opportunities. He produced a superb diving save to keep out Havertz's firm close-range header and showed outstanding reflexes to push away Waldemar Anton's effort inside the small area in the 119th minute.

Gill's composure under relentless pressure allowed Paraguay to absorb everything Germany threw at them and take the match to penalties on their terms. Without his interventions, Germany would have progressed long before the shootout began.

Jose Canale (Paraguay)

The centre-back threw his body on the line repeatedly and then stepped up to slot home the winning penalty that eliminated the four-time champions. His block on Leon Goretzka's shot inside the box during the second half typified his commitment.

Canale combined with Gustavo Gomez to form a defensive wall that frustrated Germany throughout. He blocked Joshua Kimmich's first-time effort in extra time and joined his defensive partner in diving in front of Nick Woltemade's strike to deny another German chance.

When the shootout reached sudden death, Canale showed remarkable composure to convert the decisive kick that sent Paraguay through to face the winners of France versus Sweden. His all-round contribution defined Paraguay's historic upset.

Loser

Jonathan Tah (Germany)

The centre-back's penalty sailed over the crossbar with a dreadful strike, contributing directly to Germany's elimination when they needed him to convert. His miss came immediately after Manuel Neuer had saved Fabian Balbuena's effort to keep German hopes alive.

Earlier, Tah thought he had scored when he headed home from a corner in the 102nd minute. However, VAR disallowed the goal after spotting Waldemar Anton's foul on goalkeeper Gill, denying Germany what would have been the winning goal in extra time.

With Germany's World Cup fate on his shoulders at a critical moment in the shootout, Tah failed to deliver. His terrible penalty, combined with the heartbreak of the disallowed goal, made him the face of Germany's shocking Round of 16 exit.