Paraguay reignited their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a resilient 1-0 victory over Türkiye in a fiercely contested Group D encounter, overcoming the dismissal of captain Miguel Almirón to earn their first three points of the tournament.
A stunning early strike from Matías Galarza proved to be the difference as Gustavo Alfaro’s side delivered a disciplined defensive display to withstand sustained Turkish pressure and keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage firmly alive.
Paraguay could hardly have wished for a better start.
Just 65 seconds after kick-off, Matías Galarza produced a moment of quality, unleashing a superb left-footed finish that flew beyond the Turkish goalkeeper to hand La Albirroja an early 1-0 advantage.
The lightning-fast goal immediately shifted the momentum in Paraguay’s favour and forced Türkiye to chase the game for the remainder of the evening.
The contest grew increasingly physical as Türkiye searched for an equaliser, while Paraguay looked to protect their slender lead through disciplined defending and quick counter-attacks.
However, the match took a dramatic turn late in the first half when Miguel Almirón was shown a red card, leaving Paraguay to play with ten men for the remainder of the contest.
Reduced to a numerical disadvantage, Gustavo Alfaro’s men were forced to dig deep against relentless Turkish pressure.
Despite playing with ten men, Paraguay displayed remarkable organisation and resilience throughout the second half.
Türkiye controlled possession and pushed numbers forward in search of an equaliser, but Paraguay’s disciplined defensive structure frustrated every attempt, protecting the narrow advantage until the final whistle.
The victory secured Paraguay’s first win of the tournament and breathed new life into their World Cup campaign heading into the decisive final round of group-stage fixtures.
Paraguay’s attention now turns to a crucial Group D finale against Australia, scheduled for 25 June at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
With qualification to the Round of 32 still within reach, Alfaro’s squad knows another positive result could be enough to book a place in the knockout rounds.
Credit Photo : APF
