Paraguay Defeats Turkey 1-0 to Eliminate Them from World Cup Group Stage

Paraguay scored in the opening minute and defended for the remaining 89 minutes with ten players to defeat Turkey 1-0 in a Group D match at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Friday. The early goal left Turkey needing at least a draw against the United States in their final group match to have any chance of advancing, but the head-to-head tiebreaker already places them fourth in the group regardless of that result.

Turkey recorded 32 shots, 12 corners and 51 touches inside the penalty area while holding nearly 80 percent possession, yet Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill made several key interventions to preserve the lead. Paraguay completed only eight passes in the second half and repeatedly cleared long balls and crosses as Turkey pushed forward in the closing stages.

Seven minutes of added time produced several close chances for Turkey, including a header from defender Merih Demiral that bounced wide and a follow-up shot from substitute Deniz Gul that missed the near post. Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella received a yellow card in the 63rd minute after protesting a foul call.

>"Turkey were diabolical. The two teams meet in the final group match, where Australia needs at least a draw to finish second. The top eight third-placed teams across all groups will also advance to the round of 32. Turkey became the first nation eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after the loss.