Australian men's national football team players celebrate after winning a Group D match against Paraguay in San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara, California, on June 25, 2026REUTERS/YONHAP
Korea's hopes of reaching the FIFA World Cup 26 round of 32 took another blow after Australia and Paraguay played to a scoreless draw on Thursday. The draw pushed Korea further down the standings among the tournament's third-place teams competing for the remaining knockout spots.
The result left both Australia and Paraguay with one win, one draw and one loss for four points. Australia finished second in Group D behind the United States, and Paraguay placed third.
Australia finished ahead of Paraguay on goal difference despite the two teams being level on points.
Australia will face the runner-up from Group G in the round of 32 on July 4 at Dallas Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Under the expanded 48-team World Cup format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups automatically advance to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-place finishers.
Paraguay now has four points, which puts the team in fourth among the 12 third-place teams and in a strong position to reach the round of 32.
However, Korea is in a more difficult spot. The Taeguk Warriors finished third in Group A with one win, two losses and three points.
Korea has now dropped to sixth in the third-place standings, behind Sweden, Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Paraguay and Croatia.
Football fans cheer as Australia and Paraguay draw during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match, during a screening at Tumbalong Park in Sydney, Australia, on June 26.REUTERS/YONHAP
Australia and Paraguay approached the match cautiously, with both sides knowing a draw would work in their favor. Australia controlled possession for much of the match but struggled to break through Paraguay's compact defense.
Australia outshot Paraguay 12 to 7 but managed only five shots on target. Paraguay produced just two shots on target, both of which came in the second half.
Elsewhere in Group D, the United States, which had already secured first place within the group, fell 3-2 to Turkey to finish the group stage with two wins, one loss and six points.
The Turkish men's national football team players celebrate after scoring their third goal at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 25.REUTERS/YONHAP
Turkey salvaged its campaign with its first win of the tournament, finishing with three points from one win and two losses, having already been eliminated before kickoff.
The United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina, the third-place finisher in Group B, in the round of 32 on Wednesday at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
