In a stunning Group D World Cup clash in Santa Clara, California, Paraguay pulled off a gritty 1-0 victory over Turkey on Friday, sealing the South American side’s unexpected three points while knocking Turkey out of knockout round contention and securing the United States’ top spot in the group. The match delivered drama from the opening minute, when Atlanta United forward Matias Galarza fired a 25-yard left-footed strike past the Turkish goalkeeper just 65 seconds after kickoff — the fastest goal recorded at this year’s tournament.
Galarza, who was promoted to the starting lineup by manager Gustavo Alfaro following Paraguay’s lopsided 4-1 opening loss to the U.S., called the historic moment unforgettable. “This is the most beautiful stage in the world, playing amongst the best. I’m so proud. I hope that Paraguay is happy,” he said after the match.
The game took a dramatic turn late in the first half, when Paraguay star Miguel Almiron became the first player at this year’s tournament to receive a red card under a controversial new competition rule. The rule prohibits players from covering their mouths during verbal confrontations, and after an on-field exchange with Turkey’s Mert Muldur, Almiron covered his mouth while speaking. Muldur immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton, who reviewed the incident on VAR and issued the ejection, leaving Paraguay down to 10 men for more than 50 minutes of play.
Turkey, making their first World Cup appearance in 24 years after qualifying for the 2002 tournament, entered the match as pre-tournament favorites to advance from the group, following a impressive quarterfinal run at the European Championships two years prior. But the side suffered a second straight defeat after an opening 2-0 loss to Australia, ending their campaign early. The Turkish side dominated every statistical category throughout the match, holding a massive 32-7 edge in shot attempts and controlling possession for the vast majority of the second half. They came agonizingly close to an equalizer twice: in the first half, Muldur’s free kick header bounced off the crossbar and goal post, and in stoppage time at the end of the match, Merih Demiral’s late header drifted just wide of the net.
Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill turned in a man-of-the-match performance to protect his side’s slim lead, making four critical stops to deny Turkey. He saved a deflected effort from Demiral early in the second half, turned away a long-range strike from Abdulkerim Bardakci mid-half, and stopped a close-range shot from Can Uzun late in the game, with Deniz Gul sending the subsequent rebound wide of the goal.
Midfielder Andres Cubas credited his side’s collective resilience for the upset result. “It was very hard. These games are very tough, especially one man down. We have to highlight the great group effort and commitment we showed as a team to keep fighting and do this until the end,” Cubas said.
For Turkey, the early exit comes as a devastating disappointment, with the side setting an unwanted record: according to Opta Stats, Turkey’s 62 shots across two group stage matches without scoring is the most goalless two-match shot total recorded at the World Cup since 1966. Young star midfielder Arda Guler called the team’s performance “embarrassing” in post-match comments, apologizing to the Turkish public. “We should have scored some goals. We should have won these games so apologies to the Turkish people,” Guler said.
Turkish manager Vincenzo Montella offered a more measured take, saying he was proud of his side’s effort despite the elimination. “I’m sad but I’m also very proud of my players. They gave absolutely everything right up until the final whistle. That’s what football is like. … We came very close to equalizing but you also need to accept situations like this,” Montella said.
The result locks in the United States as the winner of Group D, with one group match still remaining for all sides. Paraguay will face Australia next Thursday for the group’s second knockout spot, with the South American side needing a full three points from the match to claim the second place berth.