Paraguay 0-0 Australia – World Cup 2026 result as Socceroos progress to knockout stage following goalless draw

Paraguay and Australia played out a drab 0-0 draw in Santa Clara, with Australia claiming second place in Group D behind USA to qualify for the round of 32.

Paraguay will also hope to progress as one of the best third-placed teams.

Australia started the match the better of the two sides, dominating possession and looking to play forward when they could.

The first half, though, really struggled to catch fire, with the opening 45 minutes marred by fouls, stoppages and a really low tempo to the game.

The Socceroos began to push towards the end of the half, with Cristian Volpato, one of Australia's bright sparks in the first half, cutting in from the right-hand side and firing an effort on goal that required a good save from Orlando Gill.

The second half followed much of the same pattern as the first, with the match lacking any real intensity.

Jordan Bos came closest to opening the scoring, doing so on a couple of occasions in the last 10 minutes.

The 23-year-old dribbled past a couple of Paraguay defenders before firing a tame effort at Gill, and just 10 minutes later went close again, finding a gap between two defenders before curling an effort just wide of the target.

Paraguay's best chance of the match came in stoppage time, when the ball was threaded through to substitute Mauricio inside the penalty area, but he could only muster a tame effort straight at Patrick Beach.

Overall, it was a match that felt as though it lacked any real jeopardy, with Australia content with a point and finishing as runners-up and Paraguay fancying their chances at qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.

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Australia have progressed to the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup for the third time and in their history and for the second consecutive tournament, following their Round of 16 exit in 2022. Prior to these two tournaments, Australia had been eliminated at the group stages in three consecutive tournaments (2010, 2014, 2018).

Australia 0-0 Paraguay

Australia are through to the Round of 32, finishing second place in Group D.

Paraguay will have to wait and see if their four points will be enough to see them progress as one of the best third-placed teams.

That is Paraguay's best chance of the second half! Mauricio received the ball on the edge of the box before firing a tame effort straight at Patrick Beach.

He has been the standout player in this match, this time he takes the ball between two Paraguay defenders before firing wide of the target.

I'd say this match is fizzling out, but can a match really fizzle out when it never got going to begin with?

Tete Yengi is on for Nestory Irankunda.

Paul Okon-Engstler is on for Jackson Irvine.

Jose Canale is on for Omar Alderete.

Jordan Bos does brilliantly down the right-hand side, cutting into the box past a Paraguay defender before firing a tame effort on goal which is comfortable for Gill.

Julio Enciso tries his luck from just outside the penalty area but fires his effort wide of the post.

In this second half, there has been just three touches in the opponents' penalty area, two for Australia, none for Paraguay. Some 0-0's can be entertaining, not this one.

The match is back underway following the hydration break.

Omar Alderete is down and looks to be in some discomfort.

Alex Arce is on for Gabriel Avalos.

Irankunda latches onto the ball on the right-hand side before driving into the box but sends his cross out of play, it looked as though he thought about shooting before sending in the cross.

Paraguay work it well through Julio Enciso who drives forward before laying the ball off to Caceres on the right-hand side, who gets his cross all wrong, sending it out of play.

Jackson Irvine sends in a good, low cross from the right-hand side but no Australian player is on hand to take advantage.

It may have taken 50 minutes, but Paraguay have had their first shot on target, courtesy of Mauricio.