Paraguay stun Germany with early strike in World Cup knockout clash

Paraguay have made a dream start to their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash, taking an early 1-0 lead against Germany to put one of the tournament favourites under immediate pressure.

The knockout match, being played in Boston, Massachusetts, saw Paraguay come out on the front foot from the opening whistle. Their aggressive approach paid off with an early breakthrough as they breached Germany's defence to seize the advantage.

Germany responded by pushing numbers forward in search of a quick equaliser, but Paraguay's disciplined backline has so far held firm, frustrating the four-time world champions.

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann made a bold selection ahead of the match by handing in-form striker Deniz Undav his first World Cup start after an impressive group-stage campaign in which he registered three goals and two assists. Jamal Musiala, however, began the match on the bench in one of the biggest selection surprises.

Germany entered the knockout stage as Group E winners, while Paraguay advanced as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams. The South Americans have carried that momentum into the last-32 encounter, producing a confident display and taking an early lead against one of the competition's traditional heavyweights.

With Germany now trailing, the pressure is firmly on Nagelsmann's side to respond and keep their World Cup campaign alive.