Ten-man Paraguay secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Turkiye on Friday, knocking the Turks out of the 2026 World Cup with a courageous defensive display. The fastest goal of the tournament, scored by Matias Galarza after just 64 seconds, proved decisive as Paraguay withstood a Turkish onslaught despite playing the entire second half with 10 men after Miguel Almiron was sent off.
Galarza's stunning strike from 25 meters silenced the Turkish fans in the San Francisco Bay Area, eclipsing the previous tournament record set hours earlier by Morocco's Ismael Saibari. Paraguay then defended resolutely, absorbing relentless pressure from a Turkish side that dominated possession—reaching 79% at one point—and registered 32 shots but failed to find the net.
"I'm sad, but I'm also very proud of my players. They gave everything right up until the final whistle. That's what football's like," said Turkiye coach Vincenzo Montella.
Almiron's red card in first-half stoppage time for remarks made while covering his mouth marked the first application of a new World Cup rule designed to combat discriminatory language. Despite being a man down, Paraguay held firm, with goalkeeper and defenders repelling waves of attacks from Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz and Real Madrid's Arda Guler.
"It's one of the best days of my life. We showed our fighting spirit even with one player down. God wanted this for Paraguay more than ever before," said Galarza, who is on loan at Atlanta United from River Plate.
The victory, combined with the United States' 2-0 win over Australia, confirmed the US as Group D winners. Paraguay, appearing in their first World Cup since 2010, kept their knockout-stage hopes alive. Turkiye, meanwhile, exit the tournament with two defeats from two group matches.