in briefA tense back and forth showdown between the two sides resulted in a goalless draw.Australia has placed second in its group and will advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.The Socceroos have secured their place in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite being unable to break the Paraguayan defence. With Australia finishing in second place in Group D and Paraguay in third, both teams will now progress to the knockout stage — avoiding the loss which would have thrown things into question.It was a match that was largely deadlocked throughout, with neither side able to one-up the other after failing to secure any major opportunities to do so.Socceroos coach Tony Popovic said after the match that he is "so proud of everyone involved" and of the performance his team delivered.News that makes senseYour trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox."We were very good today, wonderful performance," he said."Now we go to Dallas, and we try to do something special."Australia entered the game with a promising first half that saw them keep control for much of the initial 45 minutes. Jackson Irvine got fans blood pumping early with a shot on goal after a cross by Cristian Volpato, which was knocked away by the goalkeeper but showed that Australia was out for blood.Managing six of their 12 shots in the first half, three of which were on target, Australia rattled the Paraguayan defence, who could only reply with a single off-target shot of their own. Still, despite the numerous attempts, the Socceroos simply could not seem to break free from the opposition to deliver. Paraguay came out of the halftime break with a little more conviction, delivering far more interconnected play and managing six of their seven shots on goal in the final 45 minutes — including two on target.Possession was much more even in the second half, with football analysts Opta assessing the South American team had 51.3 per cent in the latter stage.The game proved to be a somewhat scrappy one, with plenty of players on the floor and fouls called. Connor Metcalfe copped an accidental boot to the face and had to be taken off to be bandaged up, though soon returned to the pitch.Gustavo Gómez was handed a yellow card in the 77th minute for hanging onto Jordan Bos during a challenge.Striker Nestory Irankunda was largely contained by the Paraguayan defence, but Bos, playing right wing back, was bright and created a couple of half-chances, including a driving run on goal in the 89th minute that finished with a left-foot shot that curled wide of the post.Popovic's side managed to secure yet another clean sheet with a crucial late save from Patrick Beach. Irvine, Bos, and the Australian defence put up a wall that the Paraguayans could not get around despite a few breakout attempts in the dying minutes of the game.Aiden O'Neill was named player of the match for his disciplined display in midfield.This is only the third time that the Australian men's football team has made it through to the knockout stages of a World Cup.What happens next for the Socceroos?The United States have topped group D — despite a last-minute 3-2 loss to Türkiye. The US' wins over Australia and Paraguay meant their lead was already insurmountable and they will play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday.Australia's result sees it placed second in the group, edging out Paraguay on goal difference.Source: SBS NewsThey will play the runner-up of group G, which contains Belgium, Iran, Egypt, and New Zealand. Iran are currently second but that could all change after Saturday's matches. Crucially, the team has now avoided a likely meeting with the formidable Germany that would have likely awaited them had they slipped into third place.They will also remain on the US west coast, with their Round of 32 match in Santa Clara, near San Francisco on 4 July at 4am AEST.You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.