San Francisco, USA – Paraguay secured a valuable 1-0 victory over Turkey. The match took place at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium as part of the second round of Group D in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Galarza scores the only goal of the match
Paraguay didn’t wait long to open the scoring, with Matías Galarza netting the only goal of the match in the second minute. This goal gave Paraguay an early advantage that they maintained until the final whistle.
Almiron was sent off before the end of the first half
The match saw a Paraguayan player sent off. The referee showed the red card to Miguel Almirón during first-half stoppage time (45+3). The dismissal came after he covered his mouth while speaking to a Turkish player, in accordance with the new rule change adopted for the 2026 World Cup.
The amendment, approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at the suggestion of FIFA, stipulates that any player who covers their mouth during a confrontation with an opponent can be shown a red card. The aim of the law is to curb the concealment of offensive or discriminatory language on the field.
Almiron became the first player in World Cup history to be sent off under this new rule. This marks an unprecedented event in the tournament, although the decision sparked considerable controversy due to its recent implementation. Furthermore, the severity of the penalty depends on the specific circumstances of the incident on the field.
Group standings after the match
With this victory, Paraguay earned their first three points in the tournament, climbing to third place in Group D. Turkey, meanwhile, remained at the bottom of the group with no points, significantly complicating their chances of qualifying. Turkey’s starting lineup was as follows: Goalkeeper: Uğurcan Çakır. Defenders: Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakçı, Mert Müldür, Ferdi Kadıoğlu. Midfielders: Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Arda Güler. Forwards: Kenan Yıldız, Yunus Akgün. Paraguay’s starting lineup was as follows: Goalkeeper: Orlando Gil. Defenders: Omar Aldairte, Juan José Cáceres, Junior Alonso, Gustavo Gómez. Midfielders: Diego Gómez, Miguel Almirón, Andrés Cubas, Matías Galarza. Forwards: Julio Enciso, Isidro Pita.
