Germany’s World Cup journey continues
Germany are set to face Paraguay in the World Cup 2026 round of 32. The match will take place at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Boston, on Monday, June 29, with kick-off scheduled for 9.30pm. This fixture follows Germany‘s recent 2-1 loss to Ecuador, which ended an 11-game winning streak for the team. Despite this defeat, Germany topped their group and have been noted as one of the tournament’s most dominant attacking forces.
The German side is currently the joint-top scorer in the tournament with 10 goals and ranks second for shots on target. Their expected goals (xG) stands at 7.38. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann is expected to seek a strong performance from his squad in this second-round encounter. The team was tested by Ivory Coast and Ecuador during the group stage.
Paraguay’s path to the round of 32
Paraguay advanced to the round of 32 as the seventh-best third-placed side. Their journey through the group stage saw them score two goals, which is the lowest among all qualifiers. They have also averaged only 30% possession, the lowest in the competition, and their xG of 1.25 is the weakest among teams still in the tournament. Head coach Gustavo Alfaro‘s side faced a significant challenge in their Group D opener against the United States, where they lost 4-1.
Following this, Paraguay adopted a more defensive strategy in their subsequent match against Turkey, securing a 1-0 victory despite playing the second half with a man down after Miguel Almiron received a red card. They then played out a 0-0 draw against Australia, managing only seven shots, with two on target. These back-to-back clean sheets will be a point of focus for Alfaro‘s team as they prepare for the match against Germany.
One report suggests that Paraguay‘s counter-attacking play appears weak, with Julio Encisa often isolated and a lack of pace or runners from deep to trouble opposing defences. This could lead to a challenging match for them against Germany, who are expected to dominate possession.
Key players and team news
For Germany, Antonio Rudiger is expected to be a fixture in the back four, especially after Nico Schlotterbeck‘s tournament-ending injury. Nathaniel Brown is anticipated to be fit. There is pressure on players like Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, and Kai Havertz, who have not impressed in the tournament so far. Felix Nmecha, who contributed an assist for Deniz Undav‘s winner against Ivory Coast and scored against Curacao, is expected to be a key player. He averages three shots per game in the finals.
The predicted line-up for Germany is (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Rüdiger, Brown; Nmecha, Pavlovic; Musiala, Undav, Wirtz; Havertz. Other squad members include Nubel, Baumann, Anton, Raum, Thiaw, Gross, Goretzka, Leweling, Stiller, Sane, Amiri, Ouedraogo, Woltemade, and Beier.
Paraguay will make a change in midfield, with Damian Bobadilla set to replace the suspended Diego Gomez. Miguel Almiron is eligible to return after a ban. Defender Omar Alderete is likely to miss out due to a knee problem. The predicted line-up for Paraguay is (5-4-1): Gill; Caceres, Velazquez, G Gomez, Canale, Alonso; Almiron, Cubas, Bobadilla, Galarza; Enciso. The rest of their squad includes Fernandez, Olveira, Balbuena, Maidana, Alderete, Sosa, Mauricio, Kaku, Ojeda, Caballero, Sanabria, Arce, Pitta, and Avalos.
The match will be broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Match statistics and expectations
Germany‘s last eight games have all seen over 2.5 goals. In the group stages, Germany had the joint-highest shots on target tally with 7.3, while Paraguay had 1.7. Paraguay also picked up the joint-most cards in the group stage, with seven yellow cards and one red card. Paraguay has failed to win six of their last ten matches.
The match is anticipated to be a significant test for both teams as they vie for a spot in the round of 16.
| Match betting (90 mins) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Germany | 3-10 |
| Paraguay | 9-1 |
| Draw | 4-1 |
Read Also
Source: si.com
Leo Ashworth is a Sports News Writer at Latest News UK. He cut his teeth on regional sport before specialising in fast breaking-news writing. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Newcastle, he follows the European Tour and boxes at an amateur gym. “Get it right first, then tell readers why it matters.”