10-Man Paraguay Eliminate Turkey From the World Cup
Paraguay have kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive following a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkey in Group D. The result formally eliminates Vincenzo Montella’s squad from the tournament despite the European side dominating possession and generating dozens of shots.
The fixture was ignited almost immediately. Midfielder Matias Galarza opened the scoring just 64 seconds after kick-off with a strike from outside the penalty area. His effort stands as the fastest goal of the tournament so far and ultimately proved to be the decisive action of the match.
The dynamic of the game shifted drastically during first-half stoppage time due to a groundbreaking refereeing decision. Former Newcastle United player Miguel Almiron was dismissed for covering his mouth during a heated altercation with Turkish defender Mert Muldur.
Following a review by the video assistant referee, Salvadoran official Ivan Barton issued a red card. This marks the first time a player has been sent off under the new World Cup regulations specifically targeting players who cover their mouths to conceal their speech on the pitch.
Both teams entered the match desperate for points after suffering heavy defeats in their opening games, with Paraguay losing 4-1 to the United States and Turkey falling 2-0 to Australia. This high-stakes environment contributed to a highly physical and tense contest.
Turkey’s statistical frustration
Despite playing against ten men for the entire second half, Turkey failed to capitalise on their immense statistical advantage. Vincenzo Montella’s side ended the match with 78.5% possession and 32 attempts on goal but struggled to consistently test goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
Muldur saw a deflected header strike the crossbar and the post in quick succession. Later in the half, Orlando Gill produced a sharp save to deny Can Uzun before substitute Deniz Gul wasted a close-range rebound.
Turkey’s offensive inefficiency has defined their early exit. Across their two group matches against Australia and Paraguay, the team registered an astonishing 62 attempts on goal without scoring. According to Opta data, this represents the highest number of shots without a goal in any two-match span in the recorded history of the tournament since 1966.
Over the course of 180 minutes of football, Turkey maintained over 70% possession in both fixtures and accumulated over 100 touches in the opposition penalty area. However, a lack of clinical finishing means they remain goalless.
The defeat confirms that Turkey will head home regardless of the outcome of their final fixture against the United States next week.
Conversely, Paraguay now have a clear objective. The South American side knows that a victory against Australia in their concluding group game will guarantee their progression to the last 32.
