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SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Much has been said about the romantic notion that the World Cup is more than a mere soccer tournament—it's a spectacle that brings people together by cutting across geographic boundaries, language divides, and cultural distinctions.
Which is precisely why it felt fitting that in a parking lot outside San Francisco Bay Area (formerly Levi's) Stadium on Thursday evening, a crowd of Paraguayan fans were dancing to "Highway to Hell" alongside a sizeable contingent of Australians tossing inflatable kangaroos—yellow, with green boxing gloves—into the air. Few things unite people living 8,000 miles apart quite like a shared appreciation for toy marsupials and AC/DC. And beer. Absolutely beer.
The supporters had at least one more thing in common: they had each watched their teams get handled with relative ease by the U.S. (and beaten by Türkiye) earlier in group play. So seeing both sides share the pitch in the group finale offered a chance to put those two American victories into a bit more perspective.
Now, before diving in, it must be noted that both teams entered knowing a draw would secure Australia a spot in the round of 32 and virtually guarantee Paraguay one as well. Neither side had much reason to take risks—and they seldom did in a lifeless 0–0 stalemate. But the gap between second and third place is not trivial. The Socceroos now enjoy a week's rest before their next match, facing at worst a underwhelming Belgium side. La Albirroja, meanwhile, will almost certainly face Germany on Monday—after flying across the country to Boston.
A Draw Suited Both Australia and Paraguay
The key takeaway is straightforward: the U.S. won a gritty group. A very gritty group. After the match, Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro insisted, "I told my players we didn't come here for a draw"—a statement that didn't exactly help his case. (Had he said, "We were perfectly happy with one point," he could at least have claimed mission accomplished.) Taking Alfaro at his word, it's difficult to understand how his team managed to reach the critical four-point threshold. After being dismantled by the U.S., they were thoroughly outplayed by Türkiye. Yes, Paraguay's Miguel Almirón was dismissed just before halftime, but even with a full complement of players, they were fortunate to escape. In the opening 45 minutes, Türkiye generated eight chances compared to Paraguay's two.
The fans in Santa Clara would have welcomed that kind of excitement. Instead, they watched Paraguay manage just one shot—off-target, naturally—in the first half. After the interval, Alfaro introduced Mauricio, the dynamic Brazilian-born attacker who had scored as a substitute against the U.S. Once again he provided a spark, briefly breathing some life into Paraguay's attack. And then... nothing. From the 50th minute onward, La Albirroja went more than half an hour without registering a single attempt on goal. The most memorable Paraguayan moment during that stretch was a fan who chugged Michelob Ultra out of a sneaker on the video board during the hydration break.