Paraguay defeated Turkey 1-0 on Friday, June 19, 2026 [4], eliminating the Turkish national team from the FIFA World Cup [6].
The result ensures Paraguay remains in contention for the knockout stages of Group D, while Turkey exits the tournament following its second group match loss [1, 2].
The decisive action occurred almost immediately after kickoff at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California [5]. Matías Galarza scored the game's only goal within the first minute — sources report the timing as between 64 [2] and 65 seconds [3] into the match.
Turkey struggled to recover from the early deficit, a task made more difficult by a disciplinary setback. Almirón received a red card [4], leaving Turkey to play with 10 men for more than half of the contest [1].
Despite the numerical disadvantage and the pressure to equalize, Turkey could not break through the Paraguayan defense. Paraguay maintained their narrow lead until the final whistle, securing a 1-0 victory [1].
This match represents a critical turning point for Paraguay, which needed a win to avoid the same fate as Turkey. The victory keeps their tournament aspirations alive as they navigate the challenges of Group D [1, 2].
“Paraguay defeated Turkey 1-0 on Friday, June 19, 2026”
This result shifts the competitive balance of Group D, removing Turkey as a threat and placing the pressure on Paraguay to secure further points. The early goal and subsequent red card created a tactical imbalance that forced Turkey into a high-risk offensive strategy, which ultimately failed against a disciplined Paraguayan defense.
