Group D · Matchday 3
ParaguayvsAustralia
2026-06-25·19:00 localPredictions finalised
The forecast
Match-outcome probability
- Paraguay win26.9%
- Draw32.6%
- Australia win40.5%
The model projects one of the most closely-contested fixtures of the round — Paraguay and Australia are separated by fine margins across every outcome.
Why the model says this
Favoring Paraguay
- ·Paraguay holds a 50-point Elo rating advantage over Australia, contributing to the model's Elo component favouring a home win at 46.2%.
- ·The stacking model component gives Paraguay the highest probability of victory at 36.9%.
- ·Paraguay exhibits a high-pressing style, with a PPDA in the 93.8 percentile, suggesting they can disrupt opposition build-up.
Favoring Australia
- ·Australia is ranked significantly higher in FIFA rankings at 26th, compared to Paraguay's 39th.
- ·Australia has a strong historical record against Paraguay, remaining unbeaten in 5 previous encounters with 2 wins and 3 draws.
- ·Australia's expected goals (xG) for the match are slightly higher at 0.88 compared to Paraguay's 0.77.
- ·The historical performance (HP) model component gives Australia the highest probability of victory at 36.1%.
What the model can't fully price
- ·The model does not fully account for squad availability, with 3 players carrying fitness doubts across both teams, 2 of whom are projected starters.
Form check
Paraguay
SteadyParaguay's recent form is inconsistent, with two wins, one draw, and three losses in their last six matches. They have struggled to maintain winning streaks, alternating between victories and defeats.
2 wins in their last 6 matches
Australia
ImprovingAustralia's form has shown recent improvement, securing wins in their last two outings. Prior to this, they experienced a challenging period with three consecutive losses, but have now recorded three wins in their last six fixtures.
Won their last 2 matches
Analysis
How it plays out
Paraguay's balanced setup will need to hold shape against Australia's direct transition game. The risk for Paraguay: getting caught between attacking and defending. Paraguay's aggressive press (PPDA 14.2) against Australia's deeper build-up (PPDA 37.0) creates a clear territory question: can Paraguay force errors high up, or will Australia play through the press and find space behind it?
What decides it
Australia will concede possession willingly and attack in transition. Their defensive block needs to hold without fouling in dangerous areas. Antonio Sanabria carries the marginally higher scoring probability (9.4% vs 5.3%).
Off the pitch
No major off-pitch asymmetries. This one is decided by the football.
The angle
A Group D fixture where the result matters more for the standings than the headlines.
▸Goals & scorelines
Likeliest score 0–0 (20.8%) · xG 0.8 - 0.8
Expected goals
Mean of the Dixon-Coles joint goal distribution. Same fit that produces the most-likely-scoreline list below.
Most likely scorelines
- 0–020.8%
- 0–116.1%
- 1–014.5%
- 1–113.7%
- 0–27.1%
From the Dixon-Coles joint Poisson with the low-score correction. Scorelines are listed in probability order; this is a description of the model's distribution, not a recommendation.
Most likely half-time scorelines
- 0–045.1%
- 0–118.4%
- 1–016.7%
- 1–17.7%
- 0–24.0%
Same Dixon-Coles fit as the full-time list above, with rates halved to a 45-minute window and the low-score correction applied to that 1st-half block. The 0-0 row sits higher here than at full-time because fewer minutes have elapsed.
Goal totals
- More than 0.5 goals79.2%
- More than 1.5 goals48.6%
- More than 2.5 goals21.9%
- More than 3.5 goals8.0%
- More than 4.5 goals2.4%
- More than 5.5 goals0.6%
- Both teams score31.3%
Each row is the probability the match finishes with more than the listed number of goals. Both-teams-to-score is the probability each side scores at least once. All values are marginals of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid that produces the scoreline list above — not market lines or any other operator construct.
Event-typed probabilities
- Paraguay clean sheetOpposing team scores zero42.9%
- Australia clean sheetOpposing team scores zero46.5%
Derived from the same Dixon-Coles joint distribution as the scoreline list. These are descriptive event probabilities — see CLAUDE.md §3/§4 (formerly COMPLIANCE.md §4.2.7) for the framing the project uses.
Win-margin probability
- Paraguay by 4+0.4%
- Paraguay by 3+2.1%
- Paraguay by 2+9.3%
- Paraguay by 1+29.3%
- Draw36.7%
- Australia by 1+33.9%
- Australia by 2+11.7%
- Australia by 3+2.9%
- Australia by 4+0.6%
Each row is the probability the match ends with the listed margin or larger in that direction. Marginal of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid; the “by 1+” rows plus the draw row sum to 1.
▸How the match unfolds
Over 2.5 goals 21.9% · BTTS 31.3%
Game state through the match
- Paraguay ahead30.1%
- Level35.1%
- Australia ahead34.7%
Probability of each game state at minutes 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 — derived from two independent thinned-Poisson processes with the Dixon-Coles per-team rates. The three lines always sum to 1 at each minute. The right column shows the state at the match's closing minute.
When the first goal arrives
- 0–1523.5%
- 15–3018.0%
- 30–4513.8%
- 45–6010.5%
- 60–758.0%
- 75–906.2%
- No goal20.0%
Probability the match's first goal arrives in each 15-minute window. Homogeneous Poisson with combined rate λ = λh + λa from the Dixon-Coles fit; the seven rows (six windows + no-goal tail) sum to 1.
Half-time / full-time grid
| HT ↓ / FT → | HParaguay win | DDraw | AAustralia win |
|---|---|---|---|
| HParaguay ahead | 17.3% | 3.9% | 0.9% |
| DLevel | 11.9% | 27.7% | 13.5% |
| AAustralia ahead | 0.8% | 3.9% | 20.2% |
Each cell is P(half-time result, full-time result). All nine cells sum to 1. Derived from a halved-λ Dixon-Coles fit for the first half plus an independent-Poisson second-half convolution.
Comeback probability
- Paraguay trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT4.7%
- Australia trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT4.8%
Joint probability — P(side trailing at half-time AND avoiding defeat at full-time). NOT conditional on trailing at HT. Derived from the same half-time / full-time decomposition that produces the HT/FT grid above; a tied first half is neither a home nor an away comeback opportunity.
Cards
- Expected yellow cardsMean of the Poisson on total yellow cards.3.45
- Total yellows over 2.567.0%
- Total yellows over 3.545.3%
- Total yellows over 4.526.5%
- Any red cardP(at least one red card in the match).9.5%
Referee not yet assigned. Using the 2026 pool-mean per-match rate as a placeholder; the model picks up the referee's personal rate once the assignment is published. Total yellow cards modelled as a Poisson with mean equal to two team baselines plus the referee's deviation from the pool mean. Reds are modelled the same way, independently. See /docs/methodology/.
▸Teams & players
Top scorer: Sanabria (9.4%)
Match detail
Paraguay
Model-rated key players: Antonio Sanabria (FW) — P(scores) 9.4%; Julio Enciso (FW) — P(scores) 8.6%; Óscar Romero (FW) — P(scores) 7.6%.
Paraguay under Gustavo Alfaro play a balanced game with 48% possession. They press intensely (PPDA 14.2, top quartile (3rd of 40)) and move the ball forward quickly at 5.7 passes per attack. They generate a high volume of shots (13.4 per 90).
Paraguay will need to leverage their strengths while managing the physical demands of a tournament spread across three host countries.
Australia
Model-rated key players: Brandon Borrello (FW) — P(scores) 3.8%; Mitch Duke (FW) — P(scores) 3.1%; Martin Boyle (FW) — P(scores) 2.8%.
Australia under Tony Popovic play a transition heavy game, with just 44% possession — among the lowest in the field. Their likely shape is a 4-4-2, though they have also used 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3. They sit deeper and pick their moments to press (PPDA 37.0). They are selective in their shooting (8.0 per 90).
Australia rely on defensive discipline and quick transitions — absorbing pressure and converting turnovers into attacking chances. Concentration and defensive organisation for full 90-minute stretches will determine whether the approach holds against top opposition.
Paraguay historically converts 4.8% of xG from set-pieces, contributing 0.04 expected set-piece goals in this fixture. Combined, the model expects 0.04 set-piece goals across the 90 minutes.
- P(Paraguay scores set-piece goal) 3.6%
- P(set-piece goal in match) 3.6%
Paraguay: Óscar Romero on free kicks (per fbref 2017 18) · Australia: Ajdin Hrustić on free kicks (per fbref 2022 23)
If a penalty is awarded to Paraguay, the model gives 72.5% conversion, 71.4% for Australia.
Paraguay primary PK: Antonio Sanabria (1/2 in 2018-19, per fbref 2017 18).
Derived from the model's per-fixture forecast joint and supporting reference data (predicted squads, set-piece xG share, PK posteriors, club minutes). See /docs/methodology/ for the full methodology.
Tactical forecast
- PPDA
- 14.2
- Possession
- 48%
- Directness (yds/pass)
- 7.3
- Long balls/90
- 33
- Set-piece xG
- 5%
- PPDA
- 37.0
- Possession
- 44%
- Directness (yds/pass)
- 7.2
- Long balls/90
- 46
- Set-piece xG
- —
Style profile per side from StatsBomb open-data aggregation across recent international tournaments (Euro 2020/2024, Copa America 2024, AFCON 2023, World Cup 2018/2022). The tactical-fingerprint badge maps each team’s observed style vector into one of eight canonical archetypes via a rule-based classifier; teams with fewer than three matches of qualifying coverage carry an “insufficient-data” label rather than being forced into a default. Sides outside the StatsBomb-open corpus use FotMob team match stats from recent qualifiers and friendlies instead (possession and shot volume only), marked as partial coverage. PPDA = passes the side allows per defensive action (lower = more intense press). Formation distributions are not yet produced — that head of the §2.7 classifier is pending its own data pull. See /docs/methodology/.
Squad depth
Most irreplaceable starters
Paraguay
- Omar AldereteCentre-backCover: Gustavo Velázquez · 0.410.38gap
- Júnior AlonsoCentre-backCover: Gustavo Velázquez · 0.410.37gap
- Miguel AlmirónWingerNo natural backup0.35gap
Australia
- Mathew RyanGoalkeeperCover: Paul Izzo · 0.330.56gap
- Nestory IrankundaWingerCover: Nishan Velupillay · 0.090.36gap
- Connor MetcalfeCentral midfieldCover: Patrick Yazbek · 0.420.33gap
Gap = how far a side's rating at the position falls from the starter to his likely in-squad replacement (named under each name). Larger = harder to replace. Descriptive metric, does not feed the published probabilities. Methodology →
Match conditions
- AltitudeNear sea level4 m
- Avg temperatureFive-year mean over the tournament window19.6 °C
- Avg humidity62%
- Heat stressShade WBGT ~20.6 °CLow heat stress
- Pitch surfacenatural grass
Natural-grass NFL stadium; FIFA-standard hybrid pitch for the tournament.
Heat stress is a shade Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature proxy from the venue's climatology mean temperature and humidity; FIFA mandates cooling breaks at WBGT 32 °C. Evening kickoff (local time). These are long-window averages, not a match-day forecast, and they are not inputs to the forecast.
Top scorers · P(scores in this match)
- Antonio SanabriaPKFW9.4%
- Julio EncisoFW8.6%
- Óscar RomeroFW7.6%
- Brandon BorrelloFW3.8%
- Mitch DukeFW3.1%
- Martin BoyleFW2.8%
Per-player scoring rate from Model #5 (`p_score_per_match`). Reflects each player's npxG/90, expected minutes, team xG share, and the average opposing-team defence. See /docs/methodology/.
Recent match form
Last match player ratings
Paraguay
vs Germany · avg 8.0
Worked well: They scored an early goal from a corner and their goalkeeper delivered a strong performance, making key stops. Their penalty takers showed composure.
Struggled: They conceded an equalizer and faced sustained pressure from Germany, particularly in extra time, indicating some defensive vulnerabilities.
Australia
vs Egypt · avg 6.2
Player scores from official highlight analysis of each team's most recent match. Observational, not a model input. Methodology →
Video analysis: player performance
Per-player ratings and event breakdowns from official highlights analysis. Tap a player to see their full match timeline.
8Matías Galarza22'–22'Scored the opening goal for Paraguay from a corner kick, providing a crucial lead.
1goals1headers▼
Scored the opening goal for Paraguay from a corner kick, providing a crucial lead.
Match timeline
8CanaleConverted the decisive penalty kick to secure Paraguay's victory in the shootout.
Converted the decisive penalty kick to secure Paraguay's victory in the shootout.
8Miguel AlmirónDelivered the crucial corner kick that directly resulted in Paraguay's first goal.
Delivered the crucial corner kick that directly resulted in Paraguay's first goal.
7AncisioRegistered a shot on target, testing the Australian goalkeeper.
Registered a shot on target, testing the Australian goalkeeper.
7Álex ArceGenerated a strong scoring chance that required a good save from the opponent's goalkeeper.
Generated a strong scoring chance that required a good save from the opponent's goalkeeper.
7VOLPATODemonstrated individual skill with multiple attacking movements and shots on target.
Demonstrated individual skill with multiple attacking movements and shots on target.
6MauricioShowed willingness to create opportunities by attempting a shot from distance.
Showed willingness to create opportunities by attempting a shot from distance.
5Gustavo GómezCommitted a foul early in the match, which could have led to a dangerous set-piece.
Committed a foul early in the match, which could have led to a dangerous set-piece.
8Gill101'–101'Made several critical saves in extra time, keeping his team in the match and preventing further goals.
1saves▼
Made several critical saves in extra time, keeping his team in the match and preventing further goals.
Match timeline
8HillMade several crucial saves throughout the match, maintaining his team's competitive position.
Made several crucial saves throughout the match, maintaining his team's competitive position.
7Jordan BosDemonstrated attacking intent with a shot on target and drew a foul in a dangerous area.
Demonstrated attacking intent with a shot on target and drew a foul in a dangerous area.
7ValpatoMade an effective overlapping run and registered a shot on goal, contributing to the team's attack.
Made an effective overlapping run and registered a shot on goal, contributing to the team's attack.
7B. GOMEZDemonstrated individual skill with a dribbling move and registered a shot on target from a dangerous position.
Demonstrated individual skill with a dribbling move and registered a shot on target from a dangerous position.
6Ajdin HrustićAttempted a shot on goal, indicating an effort to contribute offensively.
Attempted a shot on goal, indicating an effort to contribute offensively.
Match observations
- The match was a hard-fought encounter with both teams creating scoring opportunities.
- Australia's goalkeeper, Hill, was particularly busy, making several key saves to deny Paraguay.
- Despite numerous attempts from both sides, neither team managed to find the back of the net, resulting in a goalless draw.
▸Under the hood
Model-by-model comparison
Paraguay vs Australia
| Model | Weight | Home | Draw | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EloRating-based strength estimate | 32% | 45.0% | 22.0% | 33.0% |
| Dixon-ColesGoal-process model with low-score correction | 63% | 28.6% | 36.1% | 35.3% |
| Hierarchical PoissonBayesian model with confederation pooling | 6% | 31.4% | 34.5% | 34.1% |
| Bayesian stackingLearned-weight combination | — | 33.3% | 36.3% | 30.5% |
| Ensemble (published)Uniform average + isotonic calibration | — | 31.3% | 34.3% | 34.4% |
How each model works
- Elo
- Each team carries a single strength rating updated after every match by a margin-aware K-factor. Match probabilities come from the logistic function of the rating gap. Elo is fast-adapting but coarse — it sees only who won and by how much, not how the goals were scored.
- Dixon-Coles
- A Poisson regression on team-level attack and defence parameters, fitted via maximum likelihood with an exponential time-decay weighting. The Dixon-Coles correction adjusts the four low-score cells (0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1) where independent Poisson underestimates dependence. Produces full scoreline distributions, not just H/D/A.
- Hierarchical Poisson
- A Bayesian Poisson model fitted via MCMC (PyMC) with hierarchical priors that pool attack and defence parameters within confederations. Shrinks small-sample teams toward their confederation mean — helpful for nations with few recent competitive fixtures. Slower to fit but better-calibrated on the tails.
- Bayesian stacking
- Optimises simplex weights (w_elo, w_dc, w_hp) to maximise the leave-one-out log-score across a walk-forward backtest (Yao et al. 2018). The result is a weighted average of the three component models' probabilities, then isotonic-calibrated. Adds no extra features — just learns which component to trust more from historical accuracy.
- Ensemble (published)
- Equal-weight average of all three component models, followed by per-class isotonic regression calibration fitted on 24 months of walk-forward out-of-fold predictions. This is the probability published on the site. The uniform mean is deliberately simple — it avoids overfitting to the stacking weights' training window.
Three independent component models feed two combination strategies. The uniform ensemble is the published probability; Bayesian stacking uses learned weights. Amber bars flag >5pp divergence from the published number. Full methodology
Probability decomposition (transparency surface)
- Baseline ensemble — P(Paraguay win)33.5%
- + Lineup contribution0.0pp
- + Style-matchup contribution0.0pp
- Published P(Paraguay win)33.5%
Decomposition of the published P(Paraguay win) into the calibrated- baseline plus contributions from the §2.3 expected-XI lineup delta and the §2.7 style-matchup interaction. The §2.7 roadmap is explicit that style effects are second-order to team strength — single-digit-percentage P(win) shifts on extreme style matchups, near-zero on balanced ones. We surface the decomposition for transparency even when the contributions are small; the baseline carries the prediction. Methodology: /docs/methodology.
For this fixture both contributions round to under 0.05pp — the fitted style-matchup pair effect is in the small-magnitude regime the model expects to dominate.
Head-to-head history
| Date | Competition | Venue | Score | Result | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct 2010 | Friendly | ASydney | 0–1 | L | — |
| 7 Oct 2006 | Friendly | ABrisbane | 1–1 | D | — |
| 15 Jun 2000 | Friendly | AMelbourne | 1–2 | L | — |
| 12 Jun 2000 | Friendly | ABrisbane | 0–0 | D | — |
| 9 Jun 2000 | Friendly | ASydney | 0–0 | D | — |
Paraguay vs Australia, every senior international meeting in the martj42 results dataset (score from Paraguay's perspective; H/A/N = home/away/neutral).
Latest news & match context
No recent headlines for Paraguay or Australia.
- Stage:
- Group D · Matchday 3
- Date:
- 25 Jun
Paraguay
Paraguay come in at close to full strength.
Australia
Australia come in at close to full strength.
Paraguay and Australia both come in at close to full strength, so the forecast rests on baseline team strength rather than late team-news swings.
Availability from the predicted squads and injury feed; forecast adjustments from the model's own decomposition. See /docs/methodology/.
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