Turkey’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stages came to an early end after a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Paraguay, despite their opponents playing with 10 men for more than half the match.
Paraguay struck just 64 seconds into the contest through Matias Galarza, whose goal proved decisive in a dramatic Group D encounter. Turkey were handed a major advantage before halftime when Miguel Almiron was shown a red card following a VAR review, leaving Paraguay a man down for the remainder of the game.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous shooting opportunities, Turkey struggled to break down Paraguay’s resilient defence. Vincenzo Montella’s side lacked creativity in the final third and repeatedly settled for low-percentage efforts from distance, allowing Paraguay to comfortably protect their lead.
The result means Turkey have lost both of their opening group matches and are officially eliminated from the tournament with one game still to play. Paraguay, meanwhile, boosted their chances of reaching the Round of 32 and helped secure top spot in the group for the United States.
For Turkey, the defeat marks a bitter end to a campaign that never truly got going, with questions likely to be asked about their attacking approach and overall performances throughout the tournament.
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