Australia advances with 0-0 draw against Paraguay at Levi's Stadium in World Cup Group D finale

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Bring on the World Cup's Round of 32.

Yes, the United States will be there, or, precisely, here at Levi's Stadium for its knockout-phase debut Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Also locking up a berth was Australia by virtue of Thursday night's scoreless draw against Paraguay in the fifth and final group-stage match on the 49ers' home field.

Australia secured Group D's runner-up status behind the United States by virtue of a better goal differential (zero vs. minus-3) than Paraguay, as each side emerged with a 1-1-1 record.

Paraguay still should go through among the eight third-place survivors. It currently has the fourth-best stature; spots will be finalized by Saturday's group-stage closure.

For taking second in the group, Australia has a week until its next match, July 3 in Dallas, against the Group G runner-up that won't be determined until after Friday night's games, Egypt vs. Iran and New Zealand vs. Belgium.

Thursday's best near-miss at a goal came on in the 90th-minute, when Australia's Jordan Bos had a blast veer wide of the left post. Two minutes later, Paraguay's Mauricio forced a Patrick Beach save, then Australia's counterattack saw an Alexandro Maidana shot attempt to end the scoreless deadlock.

With Thursday's crowd announced at a full-capacity 68,827, that raised the average to an impressive 68,503 through Levi's Stadium's five group-stage games; Super Bowl 60 drew 70,823 to the Seattle Seahawks' Feb. 8 win over the New England Patriots.

The U.S. kicked off its group-stage finale simultaneously down at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and updates of that match (a 3-2 loss to already eliminated Turkey) were relayed on Levi's Stadium's upgraded scoreboards.

Hundreds in the stands donned American jerseys, but this was decidedly a pro-Australia crowd that filled the stadium by the 7 p.m. kickoff.

Australia came out with a physical, fast pace while Paraguay played more pedestrian and defensive before a second-half surge.

Each side drew a yellow card, and four players withered on the ground in the 83rd minute after an Australian push into the box led to Bos' slow-rolling shot that was saved.

No foul or card was shown after one of the more physical collisions in the 57th-minute when Australia's Alessandro Circati sent Julio Enciso into the side board.

Australia owned a 6-1 shot advantage through the scoreless first half, which ended with Paraguay defender Juan Jose Cacares clearing the ball 30 rows into the west-side stands; fans took turns touching the ball and posing for pictures before returning it at security guards' urging.

Australia got off the first shot, with Jackson Irvine's fourth-minute blast deflected over the crossbar by Paraguay's goalkeeper, Orlando Gill. A few minutes later, Bos teed up a 25-yard shot on frame that was saved. Another shot from outside the penalty box, from Christian Volpotto, required Gill to punch it away just prior to the first half's stoppage time.

Paraguay won on this pitch last Friday, beating Turkey 1-0 despite being a man down after halftime. The U.S. opened its World Cup with a 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay.

Australia was coming off last Friday's 2-0 defeat to the U.S. in raucous Seattle, and that humbling afternoon came after a victorious, 2-0 debut against Turkey on June 13.

Thursday's pregame scene was unlike any other in Levi's Stadium's 13-year history. Thousands of Socceroos' fans in yellow shirts paraded down Tasman Drive, and once inside the stadium, they crammed into the south concourse, celebrated a beer-chugging "shooey," hoisted up inflatable kangaroos, then sang along to Men at Work's "Down Under" anthem 20 minutes before kickoff.

Meanwhile, on the stadium's opposite side, Portgual supporters unfurled their "La Albirroja 79" banner in the north stands while wearing red-white-and-blue shirts - six days before those colors run throughout the stands in welcoming the U.S. team here.

The U.S. national anthem, as at the previous four games here, was played an hour before those of Thursday's participants.

This World Cup already has set an attendance record, with more than 3.6 million fans and still two days remaining in group-stage play; the 1994 World Cup drew 3.59 million fans to U.S. venues. That said, the expanded 64-team field meant 72 group-stage matches (and 32 knockout-phase games), whereas the former 32-team tournament featured just 64 games total.

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