Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw were named on the bench for Germany against Paraguay.
The match in Boston widely seen as an easy task for Julian Nagelsmann and his team to progress to the last 16.
The 63,945 fans inside the Boston Stadium saw a match that didn’t quite turn out as expected.
Germany dominated possession but struggled to create many, if any, clear chances.
Paraguay ran their hearts out and nobody more so than former Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron.
The Paraguayans were looking more dangerous despite rarely getting into the opposition penalty area and on 42 minutes the moment came. A superb Almiron pass released Galarza and unmarked on the right he fizzed a cross into the box and Enciso met it unchallenged to head home.
The Paraguay fans and players were in dreamland.
The second half saw Germany improve to an extent but still struggle to create clear chances. Then out of nowhere they equalised, a deep cross from Wirtz was met by an excellent glancing Havertz header and the keeper no chance.
It then became even more defence (of Paraguay) against attack (of Germany) but in this contest there was only one winner, as Paraguay defended for their lives and rarely looked threatened.
On 88 minutes Nick Woltemade finally got World Cup minutes when replacing Sane.
The match moving into extra time and the same pattern as Paraguay clearly looking to get to penalties.
Malick Thiaw replaced Rudiger on 110 minutes and the two Newcastle United players together on the pitch for the first time at this World Cup.
Germany continued to push and they had some chances as the game neared the final whistle, the big moment when VAR chalked off a goal for an alleged foul on the keeper at a set-piece. A very poor decision.
Paraguay got to penalties and as we all know, Germany always win on penalties…
Kai Havertz steps up to take the first penalty and that sets the tone, a shocker of a penalty easily saved. the next five are all scored so it is 3-2 to Paraguay with two penalties each to go.
Up steps Nick Woltemade and…disaster. His penalty as poor as the Havertz one and easily saved.
Incredibly, Paraguay then fail with their final two whilst Amiri scores for Germany.
Sudden death.
Jonathan Tah steps up and sends his spot-kick into orbit.
Jose Canale makes no mistake and Germany are out!
Paraguay and Miguel Almiron will now face either France or Sweden in the last 16.
I felt really sorry for Malick Thiaw and especially Nick Woltemade, they were given so little opportunity to influence this World Cup and no surprise now if Julian Nagelsmann is sacked after such a poor shambolic World Cup for Germany.
The 2026 World Cup group games and knockout schedule for Newcastle United players:
Saturday 13 June
Morocco 1 Brazil 1 (Bruno Guimaraes assist for Vinicius Jnr equaliser)
Sunday 14 June
Curacao 1 Germany 7 (Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade unused subs)
Monday 15 June
Tunisia 1 Sweden 5 (Anthony Elanga introduced in the 91st minute when Sweden led 4-1)
Wednesday 17 June
Portugal 1 DR Congo 1 (Yoane Wissa with a brilliant headed goal to equalise just before the break)
Croatia 2 England 4 (Dan Burn an unused sub as England entertain!)
Saturday 20 June
Haiti 0 Brazil 3 (Bruno Guimaraes stars in comfortable win)
Ivory Coast 1 Germany 2 (Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade were unused subs)
Netherlands 5 Sweden 1 (Anthony Elanga brought on at 4-0 down and scored a cracking goal)
Tuesday 23 June
Ghana 0 England 0 (Dan Burn an unused sub in this bore draw for England)
Wednesday 24 June
Colombia 1 DR Congo 0 (Yoane Wissa played the full match as Colombia won with a 76th minute goal)
Scotland 0 Brazil 3 (Bruno Guimaraes with two classy assists to top off an excellent display)
Thursday 25 June
Ecuador 2 Germany 1 (A poor Germany performance despite taking a 2nd minute lead. Ecuador fully deserving the comeback win as Nick Woltemade stayed on the bench but Malick Thiaw did okay when coming on to play the final half hour at right-back)
Friday 26 June
Japan 1 Sweden 1 (Anthony Elanga starting the game and a brilliant long range curling finish that levelled the match and guaranteed Sweden progress to the last 32)
Saturday 27 June
Panama 0 England 2 (Dan Burn an unused sub as England eventually score twice in the final half hour to top the group)
Sunday 28 June
Uzbekistan 1 DR Congo 3 (Yoane Wissa the two goal man of the match as DR Congo turn a 1-0 half-time deficit into a 3-1 win after the break)
Round of 32 knockout matches:
Monday 29 June
Paraguay 1 Germany 1 (Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw come off the bench but Germany lose on penalties after extra time, Big Nick one of three Germany players who fail to score in the shoot out)
Tuesday 30 June
France v Sweden (Anthony Elanga) 10pm (ITV1)
Wednesday 1 July
England (Dan Burn) v DR Congo (Yoane Wissa) 5pm (BBC1)