Germany lost a World Cup penalty shoot-out for the first time as they crashed out of the last 32 to underdogs Paraguay.
Kai Havertz cancelled out Julio Enciso’s first-half opener, but the Arsenal forward, along with Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade, had their spot-kicks saved by Orlando Gill before Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah blazed over, allowing Jose Canale to set up a last-16 tie against France or Sweden.
Germany have not won a World Cup knockout tie since winning the competition for a fourth time in 2014 and were harshly denied by a controversial VAR decision in the second half of extra-time when Tah’s powerful header at a corner was ruled out for a soft foul by Waldemar Anton on Gill.
But Julian Nagelsmann’s side delivered a dismal first-half showing in which they failed to have a shot on target and went into the break behind despite having 78 per cent possession.
They could only improve in the second half yet, having won all four of their World Cup shoot-outs, still couldn’t rely on penalties, even when Paraguay squandered two opportunities to win it as Antonio Sanabria sent his effort wide and Manuel Neuer saved from Fabian Balbuena in an epic finale.
How Germany lost their first World Cup shoot-out…
- 0-0: HAVERTZ DENIED! Gill saves high to his left.
- 0-1: ADVANTAGE PARAGUAY! Mauricio buries it into the bottom right corner.
- 1-1: NO MISTAKE! Kimmich keeps his cool to level.
- 1-2: BACK IN FRONT! Gomez sends Neuer the wrong way.
- 2-2: MUSIALA LEVELS! A firm strike into the corner.
- 2-3: COOL AS YOU LIKE! Galarza rolls his effort into the bottom left corner.
- 2-3: SAVE! Woltemade is denied! Paraguay have the chance to win it…
- 2-3: MISSED! Sanabria sends his spot kick wide of the left post. Germany still have to score…
- 3-3: STILL ALIVE! Amiri keeps Germany in it, but Paraguay have another chance to win it…
- 3-3: NEUER SAVES! A huge stop from the goalkeeper, diving to his left. Into sudden death…
- 3-3: TAH MISSES! Wow, the centre-back blazes over to give Paraguay the chance to win it again…
- 3-4: THEY’VE DONE IT! Canale smashes into the top corner to send Germany out!
