Paraguay secured a vital 1-0 victory over Türkiye in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, overcoming a controversial first-half red card to Miguel Almirón and a relentless second-half assault from the Turkish side.
The result keeps Paraguay’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive while confirming Türkiye’s elimination from the tournament after a second consecutive defeat.
Paraguay made the perfect start, taking the lead just two minutes into the contest. Julio Enciso threaded a pass into the path of Matías Galarza, who took a touch before unleashing a low strike from 20 yards that nestled into the bottom corner beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.
With both teams entering the match having lost their opening group fixture, the stakes were high from the outset. The tension was evident throughout a fiercely contested first half that featured physical challenges, heated exchanges, and a major turning point just before halftime.
Türkiye came agonizingly close to leveling the score in the 33rd minute when Mert Müldür rose highest to meet a free-kick. His powerful header struck both the crossbar and the post before bouncing away to Paraguay’s immense relief.
The drama intensified in first-half stoppage time when Miguel Almirón became the first player in World Cup history to be sent off for covering his mouth while speaking during an altercation with an opponent. Following a VAR review, the former Newcastle United midfielder was shown a red card after an exchange with Türkiye forward Barış Alper Yılmaz, leaving Paraguay to play the entire second half with ten men.
Türkiye immediately seized control after the break, dominating possession and pushing numbers forward in search of an equalizer. Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerged as the hero, producing a series of crucial saves to preserve his side’s slender advantage.
Gill first denied Abdülkerim Bardakcı with a sharp stop before Paraguay nearly doubled their lead on the counterattack. Enciso found space behind the Turkish defense but dragged a promising effort wide of the target.
At the other end, Türkiye squandered a golden opportunity when Can Uzun missed from six yards out with the goal at his mercy. As the pressure mounted, Gill again came to Paraguay’s rescue, denying Uzun before Deniz Gül fired the rebound off target.
Türkiye threw everything forward in the closing stages, but frustration continued to grow as chances went begging. Deep into stoppage time, Merih Demiral headed a final opportunity wide, summing up a disappointing afternoon for the Crescent-Stars.
The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations among the Paraguayan players, who displayed remarkable resilience to defend their early lead despite being reduced to ten men.
Galarza’s early strike ultimately proved decisive as Paraguay collected three crucial points in Group D. For Türkiye, the defeat ends their World Cup campaign, while Paraguay remain firmly in contention for a place in the knockout rounds heading into their final group match.
