Paraguay held on for a dramatic 1-0 victory over Turkey despite being reduced to 10 men after Miguel Almirón became the first player sent off at the 2026 World Cup for covering his mouth during a heated exchange a dismissal under a new interpretation of the rules introduced this tournament. The match’s only goal came almost immediately when Matías Galarza smashed a long-range strike just 64 seconds in, giving Paraguay the fastest goal of the competition and an early advantage that ultimately proved decisive.
From that moment the game became a study in dominance and frustration. Turkey controlled vast swathes of possession, recording an astonishing 78.5% of the ball and launching wave after wave of attacks, but they were repeatedly repelled by a resolute Paraguayan defence and goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Despite registering more than 30 attempts on goal and over 100 touches inside the opposition box across their two matches, Vincenzo Montella’s side could not find the finishing touch, mustering just 13 shots on target across both games the most attempts without a goal in any two-match span since 1966, according to Opta.
Turkey’s closest moments included a deflected Merih Demiral header that hit the bar and a late scramble where Deniz Gul squandered a golden chance at close range. Substitute Can Uzun also forced a terrific save from Gill, but even clear openings were either badly struck or thwarted by offside calls and tight Paraguayan marking. For all their territorial superiority and higher expected goals (xG) 2.1 to Paraguay’s 0.32 in this match they left the pitch goalless and eliminated from the tournament after two defeats.
For Paraguay, the victory provides renewed hope: a win against Australia in their final Group D fixture would send them into the last 32. The result underlines the fine margins of World Cup football, where a lightning-quick goal and disciplined defending can trump dominance in possession. Meanwhile, Turkey’s attack-minded approach will be scrutinised after an entertaining yet ultimately barren opening to their World Cup campaign.
