10-Man Paraguay Stun Turkey, Secure Knockout Hopes with Gritty 1-0 Victory

Turkey became the first team to be eliminated from the FIFA World Cup after squandering a host of chances in a frustrating 1-0 defeat to 10-man Paraguay in their Group D clash at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Friday.

Despite playing more than a half with a numerical advantage, Turkey failed to break down a resilient Paraguayan defence that produced one of the tournament’s grittiest performances to keep its knockout hopes alive.

Paraguay struck the decisive blow almost immediately after kickoff. Just 64 seconds into the match, Matias Galarza collected the ball outside the box and drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 25 metres out. The stunning strike set a new record for the fastest goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, surpassing the 71-second opener scored by Morocco’s Ismael Saibari against Scotland earlier in the tournament.

The South Americans appeared to be in complete control until first-half stoppage time when Miguel Almiron received a straight red card following an altercation with Turkey defender Mert Muldur. The dismissal was historic in its own right, as Almiron became the first player sent off under FIFA’s recently introduced mouth-covering regulation, designed to prevent players from concealing abusive or discriminatory language during on-field confrontations.

The red card shifted momentum firmly in Turkey’s favour, but the Europeans failed to capitalize.

Wave after wave of attacks followed after the restart as Turkey dominated possession and territory. They finished with 32 shots, earned 12 corners, recorded 51 touches inside the opposition penalty area and controlled nearly 80 percent of possession. Yet for all their pressure, they lacked the finishing touch when it mattered most.

Paraguay’s defenders repeatedly threw themselves in front of shots, while goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez produced a series of crucial interventions to preserve the slender lead. Turkey’s clearest opportunity arrived late in the contest when Merih Demiral found space inside the box, only to direct his header wide of the target.

The miss summed up Turkey’s night.

At the final whistle, several Turkish players sank to the ground in disbelief as their World Cup campaign came to an abrupt end. Consecutive defeats against Australia and Paraguay left them rooted to the bottom of Group D with no mathematical route to qualification.

For Paraguay, the result represented a remarkable turnaround after their 4-1 defeat to the United States in the opening round. The victory lifted them to three points alongside Australia and ensured the battle for qualification from Group D will go down to the final round of matches.

The result also confirmed the United States as Group D winners with a game to spare.

Paraguay will now face Australia in a decisive final group-stage showdown, knowing a place in the Round of 32 remains within reach. With the expanded tournament format also allowing the eight best third-placed teams to advance, the South Americans remain firmly in the hunt for a knockout berth.