Turkey has been knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 1-0 loss to Paraguay. Paraguay scored the fastest goal of the tournament and then defended brilliantly to secure the win, despite being down to ten men. This victory keeps Paraguay's hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
San Francisco: Turkey's journey in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end. Their dreams were shattered after they lost 1-0 to Paraguay, who played with just 10 men for more than half the match in a crucial Group D clash.
Despite being a man down just before halftime, Paraguay put up a fantastic defensive show. They fought off wave after wave of Turkish attacks to grab a vital win and keep their knockout hopes alive.
The winning goal for Paraguay came from Matías Galarza just 64 seconds into the game. His powerful shot from 25 metres away found the bottom corner of the net. This goal is now the fastest one in this World Cup, beating the 71-second goal scored by Morocco's Ismail Saibari against Scotland.
The drama didn't stop there. In the injury time of the first half, Paraguay's Miguel Almirón got a straight red card after an argument with Turkish defender Mert Müldür. The midfielder became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth while speaking.
Even with one less player, Paraguay's defence was rock-solid in the second half. Turkey completely dominated the game with 32 shots, 51 touches inside the penalty area, 12 corners, and nearly 80% ball possession. However, they just couldn't find a way to score.
As the final whistle blew, many Turkish players collapsed on the field, heartbroken that their World Cup dream was over. A missed header by Merih Demiral in the final moments summed up Turkey's bad luck in the match.
For Paraguay, this win is a massive comeback after their 4-1 defeat to the USA in the first round. They now have 3 points, level with Australia, which keeps their chances of qualifying for the next round very much alive. Paraguay's victory also means that the USA has officially been confirmed as the champions of Group D.
