Paraguay, ranked 37th by FIFA, boosted its chances of advancing to the knockout stage of the 2026 North America World Cup by defeating Turkey, ranked 32nd, 1-0.
On June 20, in a group stage match held at the Bay Area Stadium in San Francisco, California, Paraguay secured its first win after losing 4-1 to the United States in its opening match. With this victory, Paraguay now holds a record of one win and one loss, earning three points and placing third in Group D.
The decisive goal came early in the match when Matías Galarza scored with a powerful left-footed shot after receiving a pass from Julián César Enciso. Following the goal, Paraguay focused on defending its lead by dropping back its defensive line.
Despite recording 31 shots and holding 65% possession, Turkey struggled with finishing. In contrast, Paraguay managed only seven shots and 26% possession but walked away with the three points.
In a notable incident towards the end of the first half, Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almirón received a red card for covering his mouth while speaking to an opposing player, a violation confirmed by video review (VAR). This was the first application of a new FIFA rule aimed at combating racism and hate speech introduced for this tournament.
Playing with ten men, Paraguay adopted a nearly all-defensive strategy in the second half. Goalkeeper Orlando Hill made several crucial saves, including one against a critical shot from Jan Woo-jun in the dying minutes, preserving the team's victory.
This win marks Paraguay's first victory in the World Cup finals since a match against Slovakia in 2010. Meanwhile, Turkey's consecutive losses, including this match against Paraguay, have confirmed their elimination from the group stage.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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