By Abigail David

Paraguay national football team secured a dramatic place in the FIFA World Cup last 16 after defeating Germany national football team 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Foxborough on Monday.

The result marks Germany’s first-ever defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout and another early exit from the tournament.

Julio Enciso gave Paraguay a surprise first-half lead with a header before Kai Havertz equalised in the 54th minute, scoring his third goal of the competition.

Germany thought they had won the match in extra time when Jonathan Tah headed home from a corner, but the effort was ruled out following a VAR review for a foul in the build-up.

The match went to penalties, where Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerged as the hero by saving spot-kicks from Havertz and Nick Woltemade. Although Paraguay missed two opportunities to seal victory, Jose Canale converted the decisive penalty after Tah sent Germany’s final effort over the crossbar.

Speaking after the match, Gill described the victory as a special moment for Paraguay, crediting the team’s preparation for the shootout and dedicating the win to the nation.

Germany, winners of the 2014 World Cup, were making their first appearance in the tournament’s knockout stage since lifting the trophy. Despite dominating possession for long periods, they struggled to break down a disciplined Paraguay defence.

Paraguay will now face France national football team in the last 16, provided Les Bleus overcome Sweden national football team in their respective knockout fixture.

By Abigail David

Premier League champions Arsenal have completed the permanent signing of defender Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen after activating the purchase option included in his loan agreement.

The Ecuador international joined Arsenal during the closing stages of last summer’s transfer window and quickly became an important figure in the squad.

Hincapie established himself as the club’s first-choice left-back despite competition from academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly and summer signing Riccardo Calafiori. He played a key role in Arsenal’s successful Premier League title-winning campaign, featuring prominently throughout the season.

The 24-year-old started several crucial matches during the run-in, including fixtures against Manchester City and Burnley, and was also selected ahead of Calafiori for Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League semi-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

Arsenal confirmed that the permanent transfer will officially take effect on July 1.

In a statement, the club said it was delighted to activate the option to make Hincapie’s move permanent following his impressive performances during his loan spell from Leverkusen.

The defender had previously been linked with a move to Real Madrid, but has chosen to continue his career at the Emirates Stadium.

Reports indicate Arsenal paid approximately £35 million to secure the defender on a long-term contract believed to run until 2031.

Hincapie made 39 appearances in all competitions last season as Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for a league title and also reached the Champions League final.

The Ecuadorian becomes Arsenal’s first signing of the summer transfer window following the club’s significant investment in new players during the previous campaign.

Meanwhile, Hincapie is currently on international duty with the Ecuador national football team. He has featured in Ecuador’s opening World Cup matches and is expected to be involved again when his side faces the Germany national football team in their final group-stage fixture.

By Abigail David

FIFA has disclosed that its Social Media Protection Service (SMPS) has identified and acted on more than 388,000 harmful comments since the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11.

The football governing body made the announcement on Thursday, highlighting its efforts to combat online abuse directed at players, teams and match officials during the tournament.

In a statement shared on its official X account, FIFA urged supporters to reject hate speech, online harassment and other forms of misconduct that undermine the spirit of the game.

According to the organisation, the SMPS has reviewed more than 3.8 million comments and social media posts related to the ongoing World Cup, with 388,000 harmful messages identified and removed. The figure has already surpassed the 287,000 abusive comments flagged during the entire 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA added that since the launch of the initiative, the service has analysed more than 250 million online comments and posts, identifying and removing about 30 million harmful messages across various competitions.

The Social Media Protection Service uses artificial intelligence to detect and hide abusive, discriminatory, threatening and hateful content from the public feeds of protected accounts, shielding players and officials from online harassment while enabling further action against offenders.

Developed in partnership with the global players’ union FIFPRO, the system was first introduced during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has since been expanded to cover major international competitions.

FIFA described the initiative as a vital step towards protecting football participants and creating a safer online environment, allowing players and officials to focus on the game without the psychological impact of online abuse.

While many fans welcomed the increased protections, some social media users called for greater clarity on the distinction between genuine abuse and passionate football banter, while others argued that broader issues affecting fan behaviour should also be addressed.