45+7'
The first half of the match between Australia and Panama has just ended.
45'+3
The match proceeded at a rather slow pace, as both teams were simply aiming for a draw.
45+2'
Aziz Behich (Australia) crossed the ball in, but he couldn't find any of his teammates in the penalty area. A bad cross. The ball went out of bounds, and Paraguay will have a goal kick.
45'
The fourth half has 6 minutes of added time.
44'
Paraguay's attack is underwhelming . Strikers Enciso and Avalos are almost invisible. Paraguay only had one shot on goal in the entire half, achieving an expected goals (xG) of 0.05. Australia's figure is not much better at 0.14.
40'
The assistant referee signals a throw-in for Paraguay.
37'
Julio Enciso (Paraguay) sprinted towards the goal, but the defender reacted well to intercept. The ball went out of bounds. Paraguay will have a throw-in.
36'
Jordan Bos of Australia tried his luck with a long-range shot, but it wasn't dangerous.
34'
Cristian Volpato (Australia) took the free kick and immediately resumed play with a short pass.
33'
A beautiful low pass from the wing found Nestor Irankunda (Australia) at his feet. However, the opposing defense was alert and cleared the ball away.
31'
Connor Metcalfe's (Australia) injury was not serious enough to require him to leave the field. The player has returned to the game.
25'
The players from both teams return to the game.
23'
Players from both teams take a water break.
21'
The game is still going strong with many exciting transitions. However, a long, diagonal strip of shadow is appearing on the court in Santa Clara. This isn't ideal for a television viewing experience, with part of the court bathed in bright sunlight while the rest is shrouded in shadow.
19'
Referee Clement Turpin saw Juan Caceres' (Paraguay) tackle and blew the whistle for a free kick without hesitation.
18'
Diego Gomez (Paraguay) is moving back to normal after that terrifying injury.
15 minutes
Australia is controlling the game. They are controlling 64% of the match time. They have had 2 shots on goal, while Paraguay has yet to have a single shot on target.
14'
Paraguay is keeping possession and demonstrating good ball circulation between players.
12'
Alessandro Circati (Australia) was too aggressive in his attempt to win the ball from his opponent, and Clement Turpin blew the whistle for a foul.
10'
Aiden O'Neill (Australia) shot from the edge of the penalty area, but the shot was poor and went well over the crossbar. The ball is now out of bounds and there will be a goal kick for Paraguay.
9'
Cristian Volpato (Australia) crossed the ball into the penalty area from a corner kick, but the opposing players had nothing to worry about as they easily cleared the ball away.
8'
Cristian Volpato (Australia) had a solo run, but an opposing player stole the ball before he had a chance to shoot. Australia had a corner kick.
7'
The Paraguayan players decided to speed things up by taking a quick free kick.
7'
The Paraguayan players decided to speed things up by taking a quick free kick.
6'
Jordan Bos (Australia) was fouled for pulling a shirt. Referee Clement Turpin signaled for a free kick. A free kick for Paraguay.
6'
Gustavo Velazquez (Paraguay) crossed the ball in, but it was cleared by a defender.
5'
Cristian Volpato (Australia) sent in a cross from a corner kick, but it was blocked.
4'
Jackson Irvine (Australia) received a superb pass inside the penalty area but missed his chance. His shot towards the right post was brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper. Australia forced a corner kick.
3'
Both the main referee and his assistant signaled a throw-in for Australia.
1'
9:00 AM
The match has begun.
After a nightmarish start with a heavy 1-4 defeat against the USA, Paraguay managed to recover with a narrow 1-0 victory over Türkiye. However, this triumph came at a huge cost as their star striker Almiron received a red card and will be suspended for the crucial upcoming match.
Without Almiron, the South American team's firepower will undoubtedly be significantly diminished. Furthermore, history is also against Paraguay, as they have never won two group stage matches in any previous World Cup.
On the other side of the battlefield, Australia entered the match in a more stable state. Despite having just lost 0-2 to the USA, the Socceroos had previously secured 3 points with a 2-0 victory over Türkiye. With a goal difference of 0 (superior to Paraguay's -2), the Asian representatives only needed a draw to secure their place in the knockout round for the second consecutive time.
However, Australia's attack is showing major weaknesses, with only two shots on target against the USA. This weakness is evident in the statistics: they have only scored more than one goal in two of their last ten matches, while suffering five defeats. Australia's biggest challenge is their past record of never having beaten any South American team at the World Cup (one draw, four losses). Despite being a "killer" against European teams, the Socceroos often struggle against the tricky and fluid style of play of South American teams.
A dramatic showdown between a team of seasoned, cunning veterans and a team of passionate, youthful energy. The team with more composure will determine its own fate and advance to the next round.
Notable statistics for Paraguay and Australia:
- In their last 5 matches, Paraguay won 3 and lost 2.
- In their last 5 matches, Australia won 2, drew 1, and lost 2.
- Australia is ranked 26th in the FIFA rankings, while Paraguay is ranked 37th.
- Paraguay's availability for Diego Gomez is uncertain. Miguel Almiron is absent due to suspension.
- For Australia, only Mathew Leckie's participation is uncertain due to fitness issues.
Predicted lineup:
Paraguay team (4-4-2): Gill; Caceres, G. Gomez, Alderete, Alonso; Romero, Cubas, Ojeda, Galarza; Enciso, Pitta.
Australian team (5-4-1): Beach; Bos, Burgess, Souttar, Circati, Italiano; Leckie, O'Neill, Okon-Engstler, Velupillay; Toure.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/paraguay-0-0-australia-het-hiep-1-post902523.html
