by Craig Laycock
Original article:
Fixture preview - Paraguay v Australia
Friday 26 June, 04:00 CEST
World Rankings (May 2026)
Paraguay - 40th
Australia - 27th
What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? We might be about to find out as Paraguay take on Australia, which is already being dubbed by us as El Cancel-out-ico.
Head to Head
These teams have met on five occasions, all friendlies, with every game ending either a draw or decided by a single goal.
In 2000, the two teams played an unusual three match challenge with each other, playing each other in a trio of games in rapid succession. The first two games ended up as 0-0 draws, and the third was a narrow win for Australia (2-1).
They haven’t played each other since 2010, a game which ended up with a 1-0 narrow win for Australia.
The total overall record is three draws, two wins to Australia.
Qualifying record
Australia had a bit of a stop-start qualification campaign, kicking things off with a dominating performance in AFC Round Two, Group I, romping to six straight wins, 22 goals scored and 0 conceded against the likes of Lebanon and Bangladesh.
Round Three was a sterner test, drawing them against Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia. A loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia was enough for Australia to bid adieu to manager Graham Arnold and replace them with Tony Popvic, who went on to steady the ship. The two key results were a fantastic 1-0 win over Japan in Perth and a 2-1 away win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, sealing 2nd place behind Japan and avoiding the playoffs.
Paraguay made it to direct qualification partly thanks to the increased number of teams allowed to compete at the 2026 World Cup. Their 6th placed finish in CONMEBOL qualified them automatically.
It was a slightly grim-reading, grindy path for Paraguay: 14 goals in 18 games and only 10 conceded tells you the full story of how you can expect them to set up at the 2026 World Cup.
This is their first World Cup appearance since 2010, when they famously made it to the Quarter Finals before losing 1-0 to Spain via an 83rd minute goal. Nobody is predicting a similar heroic run this time around, but this fixture will be key to their chances.
The stakes
Critical for both teams, really. If you consider the power of the two top teams in this group, both sides are realistically aiming for a win here and to keep it tight against the USA and Türkiye with a hope of qualifying as one of the best third placed teams.
The question is, who attacks in a game between two safety-conscious sides with a win needed to secure any chances? It could be a game where the tactical identities of both sides come under pressure to adapt. Whoever blinks first may end up grabbing the decisive goal.
The tactics
In our preview of Paraguay, we note that they’re going to be hard to beat throughout, sitting low and narrow and defending with two banks of four in a classic 4-4-2, or 4-2-3-1 at times and capable of playing on the break.
In our Group D preview, we note that Australia similarly like to keep things tight at the back. They regularly play a 3-4-2-1 with an emphasis on being able to drop back to a 5-4-1 defensively. In attack, expect Australia to use their wide areas and try to have their number 10s cause chaos. But they’re too industrious and safety conscious to be considered an attacking side.
Paraguay and Australia are both capable of playing on the counter, and Australia in particular often cede 70% of the ball, but in this case what are they going to be countering? Australia will play a high press, Paraguay will sit deep. There’s a chance a turnover in Paraguay’s half followed by a direct box-to-box drive from Diego Gómez or quick supply to Miguel Almirón might end up catching The Socceroos off-guard.
Australia, on the other hand, have the aerial dominance and will look to make it count. They will rely on winning set pieces and causing havoc with deliveries from wide areas. Their wing backs are key to their identity under Popovic.
Look out for Riley McGree drifting infield from wide areas to link play and stitch together the Australian attacks, too.
Weirdly we think this tactical battle could be one of the most interesting at the tournament. The speed of Australia’s wide areas vs the grit of Paraguay’s defensive organisation and recovery speed means it’s a nightmare to call.
Our prediction
This one is obviously going to be a tight game. My pick is Paraguay. I think Australia will blink first, try to draw Paraguay out of their shape and be hit by one brutal fast-transition goal on the counter. I can’t see Paraguay conceding in this one: they’re the masters of this kind of backs-to-the-wall shithousery.
Predicted result: Paraguay 1 - 0 Australia (Goal: Almirón)
10 min read
Fixture preview - Paraguay v Australia
Friday 26 June, 04:00 CEST
World Rankings (May 2026)
Paraguay - 40th
Australia - 27th
What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? We might be about to find out as Paraguay take on Australia, which is already being dubbed by us as El Cancel-out-ico.
Head to Head
These teams have met on five occasions, all friendlies, with every game ending either a draw or decided by a single goal.
In 2000, the two teams played an unusual three match challenge with each other, playing each other in a trio of games in rapid succession. The first two games ended up as 0-0 draws, and the third was a narrow win for Australia (2-1).
They haven’t played each other since 2010, a game which ended up with a 1-0 narrow win for Australia.
The total overall record is three draws, two wins to Australia.
Qualifying record
Australia had a bit of a stop-start qualification campaign, kicking things off with a dominating performance in AFC Round Two, Group I, romping to six straight wins, 22 goals scored and 0 conceded against the likes of Lebanon and Bangladesh.
Round Three was a sterner test, drawing them against Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia. A loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia was enough for Australia to bid adieu to manager Graham Arnold and replace them with Tony Popvic, who went on to steady the ship. The two key results were a fantastic 1-0 win over Japan in Perth and a 2-1 away win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, sealing 2nd place behind Japan and avoiding the playoffs.
Paraguay made it to direct qualification partly thanks to the increased number of teams allowed to compete at the 2026 World Cup. Their 6th placed finish in CONMEBOL qualified them automatically.
It was a slightly grim-reading, grindy path for Paraguay: 14 goals in 18 games and only 10 conceded tells you the full story of how you can expect them to set up at the 2026 World Cup.
This is their first World Cup appearance since 2010, when they famously made it to the Quarter Finals before losing 1-0 to Spain via an 83rd minute goal. Nobody is predicting a similar heroic run this time around, but this fixture will be key to their chances.
The stakes
Critical for both teams, really. If you consider the power of the two top teams in this group, both sides are realistically aiming for a win here and to keep it tight against the USA and Türkiye with a hope of qualifying as one of the best third placed teams.
The question is, who attacks in a game between two safety-conscious sides with a win needed to secure any chances? It could be a game where the tactical identities of both sides come under pressure to adapt. Whoever blinks first may end up grabbing the decisive goal.
The tactics
In our preview of Paraguay, we note that they’re going to be hard to beat throughout, sitting low and narrow and defending with two banks of four in a classic 4-4-2, or 4-2-3-1 at times and capable of playing on the break.
In our Group D preview, we note that Australia similarly like to keep things tight at the back. They regularly play a 3-4-2-1 with an emphasis on being able to drop back to a 5-4-1 defensively. In attack, expect Australia to use their wide areas and try to have their number 10s cause chaos. But they’re too industrious and safety conscious to be considered an attacking side.
Paraguay and Australia are both capable of playing on the counter, and Australia in particular often cede 70% of the ball, but in this case what are they going to be countering? Australia will play a high press, Paraguay will sit deep. There’s a chance a turnover in Paraguay’s half followed by a direct box-to-box drive from Diego Gómez or quick supply to Miguel Almirón might end up catching The Socceroos off-guard.
Australia, on the other hand, have the aerial dominance and will look to make it count. They will rely on winning set pieces and causing havoc with deliveries from wide areas. Their wing backs are key to their identity under Popovic.
Look out for Riley McGree drifting infield from wide areas to link play and stitch together the Australian attacks, too.
Weirdly we think this tactical battle could be one of the most interesting at the tournament. The speed of Australia’s wide areas vs the grit of Paraguay’s defensive organisation and recovery speed means it’s a nightmare to call.
Our prediction
This one is obviously going to be a tight game. My pick is Paraguay. I think Australia will blink first, try to draw Paraguay out of their shape and be hit by one brutal fast-transition goal on the counter. I can’t see Paraguay conceding in this one: they’re the masters of this kind of backs-to-the-wall shithousery.
Predicted result: Paraguay 1 - 0 Australia (Goal: Almirón)
Paraguay v Australia: Will either side blink?
Playing on the precipice.
Original article:
Last updated:
Fixture preview - Paraguay v Australia
Friday 26 June, 04:00 CEST
World Rankings (May 2026)
Paraguay - 40th
Australia - 27th
What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? We might be about to find out as Paraguay take on Australia, which is already being dubbed by us as El Cancel-out-ico.
Head to Head
These teams have met on five occasions, all friendlies, with every game ending either a draw or decided by a single goal.
In 2000, the two teams played an unusual three match challenge with each other, playing each other in a trio of games in rapid succession. The first two games ended up as 0-0 draws, and the third was a narrow win for Australia (2-1).
They haven’t played each other since 2010, a game which ended up with a 1-0 narrow win for Australia.
The total overall record is three draws, two wins to Australia.
Qualifying record
Australia had a bit of a stop-start qualification campaign, kicking things off with a dominating performance in AFC Round Two, Group I, romping to six straight wins, 22 goals scored and 0 conceded against the likes of Lebanon and Bangladesh.
Round Three was a sterner test, drawing them against Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia. A loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia was enough for Australia to bid adieu to manager Graham Arnold and replace them with Tony Popvic, who went on to steady the ship. The two key results were a fantastic 1-0 win over Japan in Perth and a 2-1 away win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, sealing 2nd place behind Japan and avoiding the playoffs.
Paraguay made it to direct qualification partly thanks to the increased number of teams allowed to compete at the 2026 World Cup. Their 6th placed finish in CONMEBOL qualified them automatically.
It was a slightly grim-reading, grindy path for Paraguay: 14 goals in 18 games and only 10 conceded tells you the full story of how you can expect them to set up at the 2026 World Cup.
This is their first World Cup appearance since 2010, when they famously made it to the Quarter Finals before losing 1-0 to Spain via an 83rd minute goal. Nobody is predicting a similar heroic run this time around, but this fixture will be key to their chances.
The stakes
Critical for both teams, really. If you consider the power of the two top teams in this group, both sides are realistically aiming for a win here and to keep it tight against the USA and Türkiye with a hope of qualifying as one of the best third placed teams.
The question is, who attacks in a game between two safety-conscious sides with a win needed to secure any chances? It could be a game where the tactical identities of both sides come under pressure to adapt. Whoever blinks first may end up grabbing the decisive goal.
The tactics
In our preview of Paraguay, we note that they’re going to be hard to beat throughout, sitting low and narrow and defending with two banks of four in a classic 4-4-2, or 4-2-3-1 at times and capable of playing on the break.
In our Group D preview, we note that Australia similarly like to keep things tight at the back. They regularly play a 3-4-2-1 with an emphasis on being able to drop back to a 5-4-1 defensively. In attack, expect Australia to use their wide areas and try to have their number 10s cause chaos. But they’re too industrious and safety conscious to be considered an attacking side.
Paraguay and Australia are both capable of playing on the counter, and Australia in particular often cede 70% of the ball, but in this case what are they going to be countering? Australia will play a high press, Paraguay will sit deep. There’s a chance a turnover in Paraguay’s half followed by a direct box-to-box drive from Diego Gómez or quick supply to Miguel Almirón might end up catching The Socceroos off-guard.
Australia, on the other hand, have the aerial dominance and will look to make it count. They will rely on winning set pieces and causing havoc with deliveries from wide areas. Their wing backs are key to their identity under Popovic.
Look out for Riley McGree drifting infield from wide areas to link play and stitch together the Australian attacks, too.
Weirdly we think this tactical battle could be one of the most interesting at the tournament. The speed of Australia’s wide areas vs the grit of Paraguay’s defensive organisation and recovery speed means it’s a nightmare to call.
Our prediction
This one is obviously going to be a tight game. My pick is Paraguay. I think Australia will blink first, try to draw Paraguay out of their shape and be hit by one brutal fast-transition goal on the counter. I can’t see Paraguay conceding in this one: they’re the masters of this kind of backs-to-the-wall shithousery.
Predicted result: Paraguay 1 - 0 Australia (Goal: Almirón)
10 min read
Paraguay v Australia: Will either side blink?
Playing on the precipice.
Fixture preview - Paraguay v Australia
Friday 26 June, 04:00 CEST
World Rankings (May 2026)
Paraguay - 40th
Australia - 27th
What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? We might be about to find out as Paraguay take on Australia, which is already being dubbed by us as El Cancel-out-ico.
Head to Head
These teams have met on five occasions, all friendlies, with every game ending either a draw or decided by a single goal.
In 2000, the two teams played an unusual three match challenge with each other, playing each other in a trio of games in rapid succession. The first two games ended up as 0-0 draws, and the third was a narrow win for Australia (2-1).
They haven’t played each other since 2010, a game which ended up with a 1-0 narrow win for Australia.
The total overall record is three draws, two wins to Australia.
Qualifying record
Australia had a bit of a stop-start qualification campaign, kicking things off with a dominating performance in AFC Round Two, Group I, romping to six straight wins, 22 goals scored and 0 conceded against the likes of Lebanon and Bangladesh.
Round Three was a sterner test, drawing them against Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia. A loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia was enough for Australia to bid adieu to manager Graham Arnold and replace them with Tony Popvic, who went on to steady the ship. The two key results were a fantastic 1-0 win over Japan in Perth and a 2-1 away win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, sealing 2nd place behind Japan and avoiding the playoffs.
Paraguay made it to direct qualification partly thanks to the increased number of teams allowed to compete at the 2026 World Cup. Their 6th placed finish in CONMEBOL qualified them automatically.
It was a slightly grim-reading, grindy path for Paraguay: 14 goals in 18 games and only 10 conceded tells you the full story of how you can expect them to set up at the 2026 World Cup.
This is their first World Cup appearance since 2010, when they famously made it to the Quarter Finals before losing 1-0 to Spain via an 83rd minute goal. Nobody is predicting a similar heroic run this time around, but this fixture will be key to their chances.
The stakes
Critical for both teams, really. If you consider the power of the two top teams in this group, both sides are realistically aiming for a win here and to keep it tight against the USA and Türkiye with a hope of qualifying as one of the best third placed teams.
The question is, who attacks in a game between two safety-conscious sides with a win needed to secure any chances? It could be a game where the tactical identities of both sides come under pressure to adapt. Whoever blinks first may end up grabbing the decisive goal.
The tactics
In our preview of Paraguay, we note that they’re going to be hard to beat throughout, sitting low and narrow and defending with two banks of four in a classic 4-4-2, or 4-2-3-1 at times and capable of playing on the break.
In our Group D preview, we note that Australia similarly like to keep things tight at the back. They regularly play a 3-4-2-1 with an emphasis on being able to drop back to a 5-4-1 defensively. In attack, expect Australia to use their wide areas and try to have their number 10s cause chaos. But they’re too industrious and safety conscious to be considered an attacking side.
Paraguay and Australia are both capable of playing on the counter, and Australia in particular often cede 70% of the ball, but in this case what are they going to be countering? Australia will play a high press, Paraguay will sit deep. There’s a chance a turnover in Paraguay’s half followed by a direct box-to-box drive from Diego Gómez or quick supply to Miguel Almirón might end up catching The Socceroos off-guard.
Australia, on the other hand, have the aerial dominance and will look to make it count. They will rely on winning set pieces and causing havoc with deliveries from wide areas. Their wing backs are key to their identity under Popovic.
Look out for Riley McGree drifting infield from wide areas to link play and stitch together the Australian attacks, too.
Weirdly we think this tactical battle could be one of the most interesting at the tournament. The speed of Australia’s wide areas vs the grit of Paraguay’s defensive organisation and recovery speed means it’s a nightmare to call.
Our prediction
This one is obviously going to be a tight game. My pick is Paraguay. I think Australia will blink first, try to draw Paraguay out of their shape and be hit by one brutal fast-transition goal on the counter. I can’t see Paraguay conceding in this one: they’re the masters of this kind of backs-to-the-wall shithousery.
Predicted result: Paraguay 1 - 0 Australia (Goal: Almirón)
10 min read