Paraguay Stuns Brazil with a 1-0 Victory in World Cup Qualifiers

On September 11, in the eighth round of the South American zone of the 2026 US-Canada-Mexico World Cup Qualifiers, Paraguay shocked the football world with a 1-0 victory over Brazil. Diego Gómez’s stunning strike in the first half helped Paraguay claim the lead, a lead they held onto despite Brazil’s relentless attacks in the second half.

First-Half Drama: Paraguay Takes the Lead

The match started with intense action, with both teams trading attacks. Brazil earned a few corner kicks early on but failed to capitalize, with Paraguay’s defense standing firm.

In the 20th minute, Paraguay made a breakthrough when Brazil’s defense failed to clear a cross from the left. Diego Gómez, stationed outside the box, shook off a Brazil defender and delivered a powerful outside-foot volley that struck the post before bouncing into the net, giving Paraguay a 1-0 lead.

Brazil fought back, with Vinicius Jr. creating several promising opportunities. In the 25th minute, his inverted triangle cross nearly found its way into the net, but Paraguay’s defense heroically cleared the ball off the line. Despite these chances, Brazil went into halftime trailing.

Brazil’s Second-Half Offensive Falls Short

At the start of the second half, Brazil made key substitutions to intensify their attack, bringing on Luis Enrique and Joao Pedro. Rodrygo came close to equalizing in the 47th minute, but his volley sailed just over the crossbar. Despite multiple threatening attacks, including a close-range header by Joao Pedro and a curling effort from Vinicius, Brazil was unable to break through Paraguay’s defense.

Paraguay, meanwhile, continued to threaten on the counterattack. Ramón Sousa came close to doubling the lead in the 78th minute, but Brazil’s defense held firm. Despite their best efforts, Brazil was unable to find the equalizer, and the match ended 1-0 in favor of Paraguay.

Consequences for Brazil and Paraguay in the Standings

This loss has significant ramifications for Brazil. They now sit fifth in the standings with 10 points from eight matches, having lost four of their last five World Cup qualifying games. Ecuador’s victory earlier in the day saw them leapfrog Brazil in the standings, pushing Brazil down to fifth. Paraguay’s victory moved them up to seventh with 9 points, just one point behind Brazil.

Brazil’s Starting XI and Match Summary

Brazil fielded the same starting lineup that secured a win against Ecuador in the previous round. Alisson started in goal, with Marquinhos and Gabriel in central defense, and Arana and Danilo occupying the full-back positions. In midfield, André and Bruno Guimarães sat deep, with Lucas Paquetá operating in a more advanced role. Vinicius and Rodrygo provided width, while Endrick led the line upfront.

Despite their talent-filled lineup, Brazil was unable to break down Paraguay’s resilient defense. Paraguay’s goalkeeper, Gatito Fernández, made several key saves, including a stunning stop to deny Vinicius Jr.’s curling effort late in the game.

Paraguay and Brazil Team Lineups

Paraguay Starting XI:
– 12-Gatito Fernández
– 6-Júnior Alonso
– 3-Alderet (39’2-Velázquez)
– 5-Balbuena
– 4-Cáceres
– 23-Villasanti
– 8-Diego Gómez (65’11-Ramón Sousa)
– 19-Enciso (85’20-Riveros)
– 16-Bovadilla
– 10-Almiron (85’14-Cuenca)
– 21-Pita (65’18-Arce)

Brazil Starting XI:
– 1-Alisson
– 4-Marquinhos
– 14-Gabriel
– 16-Arana (86’22-Estéwang)
– 2-Danilo
– 5-Guimarães (46’20-Luis Enrique)
– 18-Andre
– 8-Paqueta (79’19-Gersson)
– 7-Vinicius
– 10-Rodrygo (79’11-Lucas Moura)
– 9-Endrick (46’21-Joao Pedro)

What’s Next for Brazil?

This defeat places additional pressure on Brazil as they look to regain their footing in the qualifying campaign. With a string of difficult matches ahead, Brazil’s next performance will be critical to their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Fans will be looking to stars like Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo to lead the charge as Brazil aims to bounce back from this disappointing defeat.

South American World Cup Qualifiers standings table complete

Top scorers in the South American World Cup Qualifiers

Stay tuned for more updates on Brazil’s road to the 2026 World Cup!