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Winner Takes All — But Nobody Blinked: Australia Edge Through, Paraguay Sweat

Jun 26, 2026

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It was billed as a shootout, and it ended as a stalemate. With a place in the knockout rounds on the line, Paraguay and Australia produced one of the most cautious games of the tournament, playing out a goalless draw that suited one side far more than the other. In one of the most defensive matches so far at the 2026 World Cup, the two sides drew 0-0 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, with neither willing to risk compromising its defensive shape to chase a winner.

For Australia, the point was gold. With each team finishing on four points, Australia took second place in Group D on goal difference — the United States won the group — and advanced to the round of 32, while Paraguay finished third and must wait to see the final third-place standings.

A draw that did the job

The Socceroos had walked in knowing exactly what they needed, and they got it without fuss. Australia controlled their own destiny heading into the finale: a draw would secure second behind the USA thanks to their superior goal difference over Paraguay, while a defeat would have dropped them to third and left their fate to other groups. Tony Popovic set his team up accordingly — pragmatic, compact, risk-averse. After the hydration break, Australia shifted to a five-man backline with their midfielders sitting deep to cut off the passing lanes, a low-risk approach given Paraguay rarely pushed players forward.

Popovic even handed a surprise debut to an 18-year-old in the biggest game of the group. Central defender Lucas Herrington, who had four caps before kick-off and is in the middle of a breakout season with the Colorado Rapids, started on the left of a back three and dealt comfortably with what came his way, making four clearances and two tackles.

Paraguay's gamble, and the nervous wait

Paraguay needed to win, but as the game wore on their possession became an instrument of caution rather than attack. As the second half progressed, La Albirroja saw more of the ball but seemed reluctant to do much with it, their possession almost part of a defensive approach to deny Australia a winner. That conservatism carried a sting: a yellow card for Diego Gómez means he would be suspended for the round of 32 should Paraguay get there.

Now they can only wait. Paraguay ended the night ranked fourth among the third-placed teams with six more groups still to complete their fixtures, leaving them nervous but in a far better position than many expected after their ugly 4-1 opening loss to the United States.

Australia, meanwhile, march on with a clear assignment. A draw or win was always going to send the Socceroos through to face the runner-up of Group G in Arlington, Texas — a wide-open section that could yet be Egypt, Belgium, Iran or New Zealand. It was not pretty. But in a winner-takes-all finale where nobody blinked, Australia did just enough to be the side still standing.