Turkey's return to the World Cup after 24 years ended in heartbreak as they crashed out with a 1-0 defeat to 10-man Paraguay, despite dominating possession and firing 32 shots. The loss, combined with their opening 2-0 defeat to Australia, sees them eliminated from Group D with a match to spare.
Fastest Goal of the Tournament
Paraguay's Matías Galarza scored the fastest goal of the 2026 World Cup, unleashing a stunning 25-metre strike just over a minute into the match. It was his first start of the tournament, having been unused in the opening game against the USA.
Wasteful Finishing Haunts Turkey
Turkey amassed 62 shots across their two group matches without scoring, the worst two-match span on record since 1966. Mert Muldur came closest in the 35th minute, hitting the crossbar with a header from a free-kick. Baris Yilmaz, Can Uzun, and Merih Demiral all missed gilt-edged chances as Turkey pushed for an equaliser.
Red Card for Miguel Almirón
Paraguay played the entire second half with 10 men after Miguel Almirón was sent off in first-half stoppage time for remarks made to Muldur. The dismissal came under a new rule approved by the International Football Association Board in April.
Emotional Fallout
Arda Guler, Turkey's 21-year-old star, apologised to the nation: 'We tried very hard but it didn't work. We should have scored some goals. Everybody's sad, everybody's crying.' The defeat marks a stunning fall for a team that reached the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
Paraguay's Gritty Victory
Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players' resilience: 'It's nothing about tactics or strategy here. This victory is to the credit of the players.' The win keeps Paraguay's tournament hopes alive ahead of their final group game.
