Paraguay kept their FIFA World Cup campaign alive with a 1-0 win over Turkey in the Group D clash at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Saturday. The defeat was Turkey's second in a row, ending their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
The match's only goal came as early as the second minute. Paraguay capitalised on a misplaced pass from the Turkish defence, with midfielder Matías Galarza seizing the opportunity. Galarza unleashed a powerful low left-footed strike from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the bottom-right corner to give Paraguay an early lead.
Turkey responded positively and dominated possession for most of the contest, completing 638 passes with an impressive 90 per cent passing accuracy, compared to Paraguay's 154 successful passes. Turkey also registered 32 attempts on goal and six shots on target, but their inability to convert chances ultimately proved costly.
Paraguay's task became more difficult when midfielder Miguel Almirón received a straight red card shortly before the half-time whistle, for covering his mouth during a confrontation with Turkey's Mert Müldür. The incident marked the first application of the tournament's new rule regarding such conduct. Reduced to 10 men for the remainder of the match, Paraguay focused on protecting its slender advantage. The South American side's defence stood firm under sustained pressure, frustrating the Turkish attack despite spending much of the second half without possession.
Although Turkey controlled the tempo and enjoyed the majority of the ball possession, the team lacked the finishing touch needed to break through Paraguay's resilient defence. Their dominance in possession and passing statistics ultimately counted for little as they failed to find the back of the net.
The defeat confirmed Turkey's exit from the tournament after losses in both of its group-stage matches. Paraguay, meanwhile, remains in contention and will face Australia on June 25 in its final group fixture. With both teams having one victory from two matches, the encounter is expected to be a decisive battle for qualification to the knockout stage.
Already eliminated from the tournament, Turkey will face the United States in its final World Cup fixture, hoping to end its campaign with pride.
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