Foxborough, June 30 (IANS) Paraguay’s players and coach credited belief, preparation and determination after stunning four-time champion Germany on penalties to reach the FIFA World Cup round of 16 on Tuesday.

Paraguay advanced 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw, pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament and ending Germany’s unbeaten run in World Cup penalty shootouts.

After Paraguay’s first-ever win in a World Cup knockout match, head coach Gustavo Alfaro hailed his squad. “I had 26 warriors before the match, and they became legends after it,” Alfaro said, as quoted by Xinhua. “Maybe we’ll be eliminated in the next round, maybe not. We’ll see. But this match was epic.”

The Argentine coach praised his players’ resilience while contrasting their background with that of Germany’s star-studded squad. “Our opponents are developed in the best academies in Europe. We come from the red earth,” he said. “We learned to play football barefoot, with parents making sacrifices so their children could pursue their dreams. That’s where we come from.”

Goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who saved two penalties in the shootout and was named Player of the Match, said his heroics were the result of meticulous preparation. “I analyzed every player, every aspect, every detail. I was able to save two penalties, and that proved decisive for our qualification,” said the 26-year-old.

Gill admitted Germany had kept Paraguay under relentless pressure throughout the match. “It was like a horror movie. The Germans just kept appearing everywhere,” he added.

Goalscorer Julio Enciso said Paraguay never allowed Germany’s reputation to intimidate the team. “We respected them because they have very good players, but we weren’t afraid of anyone,” he said.

Paraguay will face the winner of Tuesday’s round-of-32 match between France and Sweden for a place in the quarterfinals. Looking ahead to the next match, Enciso insisted that his side would remain true to its style of play.

“They have top-class players. There’s no need to mention their names because they are stars,” he said. “But we also have our own strengths, and with our style of play we’ll try to trouble whoever we face.”

–IANS

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