San Francisco: Paraguay have revived their World Cup campaign with a determined 1-0 victory over Turkey in a dramatic Group D encounter in San Francisco. The result has kept Paraguay’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive while confirming Turkey’s elimination from the tournament after a second consecutive defeat.
The South American side responded strongly after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to the United States in their opening match. Paraguay made an ideal start when Matías Galarza scored after just 64 seconds, recording the fastest goal of the World Cup so far. The midfielder unleashed a powerful long-range strike that gave Turkey goalkeeper no chance and immediately put Paraguay in control.
Turkey attempted to recover from the early setback and dominated large portions of the match. The European side controlled possession and continuously pushed forward in search of an equaliser. At one point, Turkey held nearly 79 percent possession and finished the match with 32 attempts on goal. Despite creating numerous opportunities, the team struggled to convert chances into goals.
¡Así lo sentimos todos, Diego! 🥹
¡A celebrar y seguir adelante! pic.twitter.com/1fkdyST1vq
— Selección Paraguaya (@Albirroja) June 20, 2026
Paraguay’s challenge became even greater during the second half when Miguel Almirón was sent off. The dismissal left the South Americans with ten players for the remainder of the match, forcing them to adopt a more defensive approach. Even with a numerical disadvantage, Paraguay remained disciplined and organised, frustrating Turkey’s attacking efforts.
Turkey continued to create openings through key players including Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler. However, poor finishing and Paraguay’s resilient defending prevented the team from finding a breakthrough. The South American side also remained dangerous on the counterattack, making the most of limited opportunities whenever Turkey committed players forward.
The victory marked an important moment for Paraguay, who are appearing in their first World Cup since 2010. Their best performance at the tournament came that year when they reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by eventual champions Spain.
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