Australia and Paraguay draw 0-0 and advance together to the knockout round

First half without a Paraguayan shot on goal

Despite the South Americans' midfield pressure, Paraguay failed to register a single shot on goal in the first half. The Australian defense, which included 18-year-old Lucas Herrington, initially withstood the onslaught.

Shortly before the break, Australia had another opportunity through Cristian Volpato. However, his lobbed effort missed the danger zone and posed no real problems for goalkeeper Orlando Gill. The teams went into the dressing rooms with a 0-0 scoreline that flattered the Australians.

After the restart, the picture changed little. Both teams played cautiously, as a point was enough for each side to advance. Clear-cut chances remained scarce, and the match largely meandered towards its conclusion.

For Paraguay, the result means that the team from the Spanish-speaking South American association could still advance to the round of the last 32 as one of the best eight third-placed teams. If that succeeds, Paraguay could potentially be Germany's next opponent in the tournament.

Possible consequences for the tournament

Australia can head into the knockout phase with confidence, even though their own performance against Paraguay hardly radiated self-belief. Popovic's side will learn in the coming days which opponent they must face next.

Overall, it must be noted that the match fell well short of the expectations placed in it. Tactical discipline from both teams and a lack of cutting edge in attack meant that the spectators in Santa Clara saw few real highlights.

With the draw, both teams have achieved their minimum objective. While Australia has safely secured its place in the knockout round, Paraguay must still wait for the decision on progression and hope for favorable results in the other groups.