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Paraguay stunned four-time world champions Germany 4-3 on penalties on Monday to advance to the World Cup round of 16 in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history, after the teams were tied 1-1 over 120 minutes.Jose Canale hit the decisive penalty to give the underdogs a memorable victory and spark wild celebrations, as they advanced to the next round where they will face either title contenders France or Sweden in the last 16.The Germans saw Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah fail to score from the spot before Canale, after two misses by the South Americans, kept his composure to seal their win.For the Germans, who had a Tah header disallowed in extra time, it was a bitter defeat and the first time they lost a penalty shootout at a World Cup.”We should not be blaming the referee or the penalty shootout today,” Germany captain Joshua Kimmich said. “If you cannot beat Paraguay over 120 minutes then you are deservedly eliminated. You should not depend on the opponents’ luck or no luck. You should have the quality in the squad to clearly beat this opponent.”It was the biggest win at the tournament for the South Americans, who reached the quarter-finals in 2010 and had not qualified since, while Germany’s international reputation is now in tatters after consecutive World Cup group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.”I think the feeling we have is difficult to explain,” a beaming Paraguay captain Gustavo Gomez said. “I’m very proud of my teammates and of this group. Today was a match in which we had to be Paraguay more than ever.””I think deep down Germany knew that if they wanted to beat us, they would have to sweat blood, because we were going to make defeat very, very expensive for them,” he said.Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, who at the age of 38 became the youngest coach in a World Cup knockout stage in 40 years, will now be under massive pressure once he returns home after yet another World Cup debacle.”I am disappointed. It was just not enough to beat this opponent,” said Nagelsmann, who had publicly set Germany the goal of winning a fifth World Cup. “The opponent scored once and we did not defend very well. We lost control of possession. We tried a lot of things but we should have scored earlier.”If you are eliminated by Paraguay you are just not a first-class football team. I am very disappointed.” ATTACKING START Nagelsmann opted for an attacking lineup, giving his team’s top scorer in the tournament, Deniz Undav, his first start. The forward, who had three goals and two assists in the group stage, threatened early on with a curled shot as the Germans controlled possession.While spending most of the time without the ball, Paraguay were content to soak up the pressure as Germany attempted every possible route to their opponents’ goal but had no single effort on target in the entire first half.By the 35th minute Germany had completed 244 passes to Paraguay’s 31 but had not managed to come any closer to breaking the deadlock.Executing their game plan to perfection, the South Americans, with Miguel Almiron back in the side after his suspension, stunned the favourites with a quick move down the right before Enciso powered home his header to score his country’s first-ever goal in the knockout stage of a World Cup.The small pockets of Paraguay fans, completely outnumbered by the white-clad Germany supporters, exploded with joy, pounding their drums as silence fell across large swathes of the stands.Frustration was visible among the Germany players as their dominance proved unprecedented – no team had ever completed 253 more passes than their opponents in a World Cup first half and still gone in behind at halftime.They hit back nine minutes after the restart with Florian Wirtz floating a cross into the box and Havertz levelling with a glancing header. They thought they had snatched a winner in the 102nd minute when Tah headed in a corner at the far post but after a lengthy VAR review the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper. Related Story Source link
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Experienced midfielder Assim Madibo has said Qatar team can handle the pressure of playing against strong sides when they kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign next week. Qatar, two-time Asian champions, take on Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina in their three group stage matches across the US and Canada. “This journey with the national team has been full of challenges (in the last few years). I am satisfied with my performance over the past years, having participated in numerous tournaments, including the last two editions of the AFC Asian Cup and other competitions,” Madibo, 29, said in a video interview released by the Qatar Football Association (QFA). “The accumulated experience of many of the current squad members, who have previously participated in continental and international tournaments, such as the AFC Asian Cup (which Qatar won in 2019 and 2023), can motivate the players to perform at their best, as they have developed the ability to handle pressure,” he said. Madibo expressed his desire to perform admirably and bring joy to the fans during the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. He pointed out that the task at the World Cup will not be easy because the nature of matches in such major tournaments requires intense focus and attention to detail, including managing the pressures. PLAYERS GAINED SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE He noted that the players have gained sufficient experience to adapt to a tournament of the World Cup’s magnitude. “Our other task as experienced players is to help the players participating for the first time overcome the hurdle of dealing with these high-stakes matches and immerse themselves in the tournament atmosphere early on. Our main goal remains to form a cohesive group of young players and experienced veterans,” he added. He emphasized that the presence of fans in the stands is a significant motivator for the players, contributing to their best possible performance. Madibo said that their objective as players is to bring joy to the Qatari fans, to make a respectable showing in Al Annabi s second appearance at the World Cup finals, and to reflect the progress Qatar football has made in recent years. Qatar will play their first match in the 2026 World Cup, when they face Switzerland on June 13 in San Francisco, USA. In Vancouver, Qatar will face Canada on June 18, and conclude their matches by playing Bosnia & Herzegovina in Seattle, USA, on June 24. Related Story Source link
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Qatar fans are preparing to provide strong support for the national team as it embarks on its second FIFA World Cup appearance at the 2026 tournament, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. Qatar’s participation has attracted considerable attention, particularly because it comes through the qualification process this time, following the team’s first World Cup appearance in 2022 as the host nation. Qatar has been drawn in Group B and will open its campaign against Switzerland on June 13 in San Francisco. The team will then travel to Vancouver to face Canada on June 18 before concluding their group-stage matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24. Qatari supporters are preparing to travel to the United States and Canada after the Qatar Football Association (QFA) announced that arrangements had been completed for 1,000 fans. Three charter flights will transport supporters from Qatar to the United States on June 9, 10, and 11. Support for the national team at the World Cup will not be limited to the official fan delegation departing from Doha. It will also include Qatari students and other supporters residing in the United States and Canada. The QFA has coordinated with Qatar’s cultural attaché office in the United States and the Qatari Embassy in Canada to invite all Qatari students to attend the team’s first three group-stage matches. The fan delegation includes the “Maroon Stand” (Mudaraj Al Annabi) initiative, which was launched ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qatar and received widespread praise for helping mobilize supporters and encouraging young Qataris to back the national team during the continental championship. The initiative has since expanded to local and international competitions, contributing to the revival of strong fan support for the national side. The QFA has signed a cooperation agreement with the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM) to finance the national team supporters’ delegation for the 2026 World Cup. Under the agreement, the fund will provide the financial support necessary for the association to implement a comprehensive travel program for fans traveling from Qatar to the United States and Canada. The package includes flight arrangements through Qatar Airways, the tournament’s official carrier, as well as hotel accommodations and ground transportation. ALL LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS COMPLETED QFA has completed all logistical arrangements for the supporters’ delegation, including air travel from San Francisco to Vancouver for the team’s second match. Twelve hotels have been secured for Qatari fans: five in San Francisco, four in Vancouver and three in Seattle, where Qatar will play Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final group-stage match. The presence of Qatari supporters is regarded as a key factor in helping the team perform at its best and present a positive image of Qatari football on the global stage, while also reinforcing the country’s broader investment in sports. The backing of Qatari fans builds on the country’s successful promotional and fan-engagement experience at major tournaments both at home and abroad, reflected in the strong attendance at national team matches. Supporters remain committed to providing continuous encouragement to help the team achieve the best possible results and create the conditions for players to perform at their highest level. Qatari fans hope the national team can deliver a strong showing at the upcoming tournament and that their support will help propel the side deep into a competition featuring many of the world’s leading national teams. Related Story Source link
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