Paraguay, perceived slights and all, has its day, leaving Germany to wonder how it’s fallen from soccer’s elite

FOXBOROUGH — Germany has decades of experience competing in elimination games. Die Mannschaft became accustomed to win-or-go-home matches in the 1930s, the early years of the World Cup. It has won the tournament four times, as recently as 2014. It wasn’t until 2018 that it failed to advance from group play — followed by, just as unexpectedly, a repeat in 2022.

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On Monday, the Germans found another surprise. Well, more than a surprise — a penalty kicks loss after playing to a 1-1 tie with Paraguay.

“This is the third elimination in a row, so we are not part of the first-class teams anymore,” German coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “Jogi Löw and Hansi Flick [Nagelsmann’s predecessors], we also tried new things, new foundation, but the outcome was similar. There are a few things we need to address in the future.”

The Germans seemed to receive a wakeup call in a 2-1 loss to Ecuador last week, but the effects were not lasting. Die Mannschaft was slow to respond in the first half in Foxborough. It did not move the ball quickly enough, and it found space constricted as Paraguay kept everyone back, including striker Julio Enciso. The German dribblers hesitated to take on defenders, and found themselves double-teamed when they did. Leroy Sané’s advances were easily halted by the Paraguayans, who are accustomed to dribblers and tricksters, playing against Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, etc., in South America.

The Germans could have continued trying to dissect the defense, or fired away from distance — which might have forced Paraguay to come out of its shell. Again, they seemed reluctant, or unable, to do so. What worked was to launch crosses every chance they got, and Kai Havertz’s glancing header off a Florian Wirtz cross equalized, 1-1, in the 54th minute.

In the second half, Jamal Musiala was able to penetrate on the right. Musiala found Leon Goretzka for a corner kick that set up what appeared to be the deciding goal in the 102nd minute. But Jonathan Tah’s header was negated by a VAR review.

The game finally opened up in the final minutes of extra time, as reserve Nadiem Amiri snaked through half the Paraguayan team before being stopped. Too late for Germany. In the past, that wouldn’t have fazed anyone. Penalty kicks are a Deutschland speciality.

Not so, this time.

If Germany has been struggling to get out of group play, maybe other things aren’t the same, either. Germans skying penalty kicks? Wouldn’t have happened in the old days.

Outsiders probably shouldn’t doubt Germany’s penalty methods. But questions were raised when Tah, a defender, attempted the sixth with the score tied, 3-3. Tah launched the attempt into the stands, just below the scoreboard. And José Canale, a 29-year-old defender with Argentina’s CA Lanus, finished off the contest.

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This capped a remarkable recovery by Paraguay, which opened the event with a 4-1 loss to the United States. Then, it seemed the Guaranis had overslept. And it wasn’t until the second half that they awakened — thanks, partly, to the addition of Brazil-born attacker Mauricio.

He broke the tension against Germany with a double-kick pass in the middle of the field. The play did not create a threat, but it sent a message that his team was relaxed, and certainly not intimidated by the opposition. A very Brazilian move.

On Sunday, Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro spent about 15 minutes of a news conference defending his decision not to start Mauricio, despite a journalist insisting the entire country wanted him in. Alfaro replied that journalists were against him including Mauricio in the team, since he was born in São Paulo. Alfaro would use Mauricio as he saw fit.

Alfaro also went into a lengthy defense of goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who had been criticized by José Luis Chilavert, a Paraguay icon and former goalkeeper. Alfaro said Chilavert should discuss Gill with him personally, invited him to practice, and called him “one of the family.”

Gill probably will not come up for discussion again after saving two penalties, one more than Manuel Neuer.

Paraguay went into Monday as underdogs, but it should be noted it goes into most games as such. Alfaro said “everyone” wanted Paraguay out of the World Cup. He didn’t cite examples, but being scheduled against the Americans in the opener could have been one. As could having to travel across the country to face Germany or any other slights real or imagined, such as Miguel Almirón becoming the first, and, so far, only player red-carded for covering his mouth.

Almirón returned for this game and helped open the scoring, setting up Atlanta United teammate Matías Galarza, who crossed to Enciso. Almirón and Galarza have experienced a slow start to the MLS season, but they were a step ahead of Germany.

And, now, Paraguay gets to remain on the East Coast, with a Round-of-16 match in Philadelphia. It can’t really complain.

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