Turkiye Vs Paraguay Highlights: Matías Galarza registered the fastest goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far as Paraguay secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye on Saturday (Friday in US) despite playing more than half the match with 10 men.
Paraguay was reduced to a man down late in the first half when Miguel Almirón received a straight red card under a new World Cup rule prohibiting players from covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents. However, goalkeeper Orlando Gill produced a series of crucial saves to protect Paraguay’s slender lead.
The result guaranteed the United States top spot in Group D and ended Türkiye’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages after a second consecutive defeat. Paraguay will now face Australia in their final group-stage match next Thursday, with second place in the group still up for grabs.
Looking to bounce back from a heavy 4-1 defeat to the United States in their opening game, Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro made a key change to his starting lineup by handing Galarza his first start of the tournament. The move paid immediate dividends as the Atlanta United midfielder unleashed a left-footed strike from around 25 yards out that flew into the net just 1 minute and 5 seconds after kick-off.
Türkiye came close to finding an equaliser before halftime when Mert Müldür’s header from a free-kick rattled both the crossbar and the post. Müldür was also involved in the incident that led to Almirón’s dismissal. Following a foul near midfield in first-half stoppage time, the two players exchanged words. Almirón was seen covering his mouth while speaking, prompting Müldür to appeal to referee Iván Barton.
After consulting the video assistant referee, Barton reviewed the incident and issued a straight red card to Almirón, applying a newly introduced World Cup regulation aimed at increasing transparency in player conduct.
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Despite enjoying the majority of possession for the second successive match, Türkiye once again struggled to convert their control into goals. Following a 2-0 defeat to Australia in their opening fixture, the latest loss ensured that their first World Cup appearance in 24 years would end at the group stage.
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