Shock and silence in Paraguay after World Cup debut thrashing by USA

Paraguay's return to the World Cup after a 16-year hiatus began with a sobering 4-1 defeat to the United States, leaving the nation in a state of shock and silence. The unexpected loss has dominated sports discussions, with analysts and media struggling to comprehend the team's performance.

Social media, which had buzzed with anticipation before the match, fell quiet following the result. Paraguayan newspapers like Última Hora, ABC Color, and La Nación featured headlines such as "Tough blow on debut," "Paraguay falls to the USA, now to recover," and "A bitter debut." Sports journalists expressed their bewilderment, with one noting on radio Ñandutí that the team played its worst game of the Mauricio Pochettino era.

Commentators criticized the team's lack of competitiveness, with one journalist from ABC Cardinal lamenting, "We didn't even compete yesterday, we couldn't keep the ball." Despite the harsh assessment, there's a call for the team to "change the chip" and focus on upcoming matches against Turkey and Australia to secure a spot in the knockout stage.

Messages of support have also emerged, with the First Lady, Leticia Ocampos, expressing unwavering faith: "Because falling is not the end, for a Giant that knows how to get up. Faith remains intact. Go Paraguay!" The Paraguayan Football Association echoed this sentiment, stating, "The road continues and the illusion remains intact." Some fans drew parallels to other World Cup upsets, like Argentina's loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022, to maintain hope.