BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Paraguay produced one of the biggest shocks of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Monday, eliminating four-time champions Germany 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout after their Round of 32 encounter ended 1-1 after extra time.

Defender Jose Canale emerged as Paraguay’s hero, calmly converting the decisive spot kick to send the South Americans into the Round of 16 and bring Germany’s campaign to a premature end.

The result marked a bitter disappointment for the Germans, who saw Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah all fail from the penalty spot as Paraguay held their nerve in the shootout.

Paraguay had taken the lead just before halftime through Julio Enciso. The Brighton forward met a well-delivered cross from Matias Galarza and powered a header beyond the German goalkeeper in the 42nd minute, sending the Paraguayan supporters into celebration.

Germany responded after the break and found an equaliser in the 54th minute. Florian Wirtz floated in an inviting cross from the left and Havertz glanced a header into the net to level the contest at 1-1.

The four-time world champions then pushed for a winner, but Paraguay’s disciplined defence and determined goalkeeping kept them at bay. With neither side able to break the deadlock through the remainder of normal time and extra time, the match was decided by penalties.

Paraguay proved the more composed side from 12 yards, converting four of their kicks while Germany faltered under pressure. After Havertz, Woltemade and Tah all missed, Canale stepped up to score the winning penalty and complete a famous victory.

The triumph sends Paraguay into the Round of 16, where they will face either France or Sweden in Philadelphia on July 4.

For Germany, the defeat represents a stunning early exit and continues a disappointing run of World Cup performances for a nation that once dominated the global stage. For Paraguay, meanwhile, the victory will rank among the most memorable in their World Cup history as they continue their quest for an unlikely deep run in the tournament.

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An Argentine footballer playing in Venezuela’s second division has suffered a devastating personal loss after last week’s powerful earthquakes claimed the lives of his wife and two children, according to CNN Español.

Lucas Trejo, 38, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, had spent days desperately searching through the rubble of his destroyed beachfront home in La Guaira for signs of his wife, Yanina, and their children, Aarón and Ainhoa, following the twin earthquakes that struck the country.

According to CNN Español, Trejo was attending a training camp with his club in Caracas when the earthquakes — described by the U.S. Geological Survey as a rare “doublet” because two major quakes struck just 39 seconds apart — rocked Venezuela. The player immediately travelled to La Guaira, approximately 18 miles north of the capital, only to find widespread devastation.

Trejo’s brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, told CNN Español that the footballer was “emotionally overwhelmed” by the tragedy.

“What he found was a horrific scene,” Ardiles said. “He found absolutely nothing of what the building itself had been.”

For several days, Trejo combed through the debris alongside friends, teammates and volunteers while appealing for heavy machinery to assist in the rescue effort. A video circulated by fellow players highlighted the desperate need for additional equipment.

“Right now we only have one machine, but it’s not enough,” Venezuelan footballer Robert Garcés of Metropolitanos F.C. said in the appeal, according to CNN Español.

The search ended in heartbreak on Sunday when Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira confirmed the deaths of Trejo’s wife and children.

In a message posted on social media, the club said it “deeply mourns the irreparable loss” of the player’s family and offered its support during the difficult period.

“Lucas, you are not alone. Your family at Maritime La Guaira is with you,” the club stated alongside a family photograph.

The tragedy has resonated throughout the football community in Venezuela and beyond. According to CNN Español, the earthquakes have claimed the lives of several footballers and affected many others connected to the sport.

Among the victims was 18-year-old Yimvert Berroteran, regarded as one of Venezuela’s promising young talents. The Venezuelan national team and the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) confirmed his death on Friday. Berroteran had represented Venezuela at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Doha just months earlier and had recently featured for the country’s U-20 national team.

The disaster also claimed the lives of young players Víctor Palacios and Razan Sijaa, according to the FVF and their respective clubs.

Another footballer, Héctor Bello, lost his partner in the tragedy. Bello revealed on social media that she died while protecting their young daughter during the earthquake.

“I’ll make sure to remind our baby girl how wonderful you were and how much you loved her,” Bello wrote in an emotional tribute.

The wider humanitarian crisis continues to unfold. Venezuelan authorities reported on Sunday that more than 1,400 people have died, while thousands remain missing. Sports Village Square reports that a minute of silence was observed before World Cup matches during the group stage last week in honour of the earthquake victims.

The disaster has also affected foreign nationals. Chinese state media reported that eight Chinese citizens were among the dead, while Spain’s Foreign Ministry said at least nine Spanish nationals had been killed and more than 100 remain missing.

Rescue operations are continuing, although hopes of finding more survivors are fading as search efforts move beyond the critical first 72 hours after the disaster. Experts note that survival chances diminish significantly after that period, particularly in the absence of access to water.

As Venezuela mourns one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history, the football community is among those grappling with profound personal losses that extend far beyond the game.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA

Gabriel Martinelli struck deep into stoppage time to rescue Brazil from a shock World Cup exit as the five-time champions battled back to defeat Japan 2-1 in a dramatic Round of 32 encounter in Houston on Monday.

The Arsenal forward squeezed home the winner at the far post in the fifth minute of added time, breaking Japanese hearts after the Asian side had pushed the tournament favourites to the brink of elimination.

Japan stunned Brazil in the 29th minute when Kaishu Sano capitalised on a costly mistake by veteran defender Danilo. The midfielder intercepted a poor pass, surged towards goal and unleashed a low drive from the edge of the penalty area that beat the Brazilian goalkeeper and nestled in the bottom-left corner.

The goal handed Japan a deserved halftime lead and left Brazil facing the prospect of an early World Cup exit.

Brazil emerged from the break with greater urgency and eventually found the breakthrough in the 56th minute. Defender Gabriel Magalhaes delivered a teasing cross into the box and captain Casemiro rose unmarked at the back post to power a header into the net for the equaliser.

The South Americans immediately turned up the pressure in search of a winner. Vinicius Junior came agonisingly close moments later after a dazzling solo run through the Japanese defence, but goalkeeper Zion Suzuki produced a fine save to push his effort onto the post.

As the match drifted towards extra time, Japan continued to defend resolutely and looked set to force an additional 30 minutes. But Brazil’s persistence finally paid off in stoppage time.

With the clock ticking down, Martinelli found space at the far post and squeezed his effort past Suzuki to complete Brazil’s comeback and send the Houston crowd into celebration.

The victory keeps Brazil’s quest for a sixth World Cup title alive and books them a place in the Round of 16, where they will face the winners of Tuesday’s last-32 clash between Côte d’Ivoire and Norway in New Jersey on July 5.

For Japan, the defeat marked a cruel end to a spirited campaign in which they once again demonstrated their growing ability to compete with the world’s elite nations on football’s biggest stage.

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