Türkiye exit World Cup after loss to Paraguay
Paraguay secured a 1-0 victory over Türkiye in their Group D match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, played at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in the United States, News.Az reports.
The South Americans took the lead just 64 seconds after kickoff when Matias Galarza unleashed a long-range strike that found the bottom corner of the net. The goal was the fastest scored at this World Cup so far.
Despite conceding early, Türkiye quickly established control of possession and launched continuous attacks in search of an equalizer. The team dominated the ball for much of the match and repeatedly pressured the Paraguayan defense.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
A key moment came in the closing stages of the first half when a confrontation broke out between players. During the incident, Miguel Almiron covered his mouth while speaking to Mert Muldur, an action that led to a straight red card under FIFA's new regulations prohibiting such behavior.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Türkiye maintaining overwhelming possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities. However, despite registering more than 27 shots, controlling nearly 80% of possession and completing over 600 passes, the Turkish side was unable to break through and level the score.
The result lifted Paraguay into third place in the group standings, while Türkiye dropped to the bottom. The United States secured top spot in the group, and Türkiye's defeat ended its hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
By Nijat Babayev
Similar news
