Ten-man Paraguay kept their FIFA World Cup knockout-stage hopes alive after edging Turkey 1-0 in a dramatic Group D encounter, while Turkey's campaign came to an end following a second straight defeat.
Paraguay made the perfect start when Matías Galarza found the back of the net after just 1 minute and 5 seconds. His goal is currently the fastest scored at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The South Americans were dealt a major setback in first-half stoppage time when midfielder Miguel Almirón was sent off following a VAR review after covering his mouth during a confrontation with Turkey defender Mert Müldür.
The dismissal came under a new FIFA regulation introduced ahead of the tournament.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Paraguay produced a resilient defensive performance to deny Turkey, who dominated possession and created numerous chances throughout the match.
The result means Turkey can no longer qualify for the Round of 32, while Paraguay will secure a place in the knockout stages if they defeat Australia in their final Group D match.
Paraguay are making their ninth FIFA World Cup appearance and are aiming to reach the knockout stages for the first time since the 2010 tournament, where they reached the quarter-finals.
Turkey, meanwhile, are featuring in their third FIFA World Cup finals and were hoping to replicate their best-ever finish of third place, achieved at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
Turkey will face the USA, while Paraguay take on Australia in their final Group D matches at 2pm next Friday.
Meanwhile, in today's results, Brazil secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Haiti, Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0, while the USA beat Australia 2-0.
In tomorrow's matches, the Netherlands will take on Sweden at 5am, Germany will face Ivory Coast at 8am, Ecuador will meet Curaçao at 12pm, while Tunisia and Japan will go head-to-head at 4pm.
Stay with us for updates on the FIFA World Cup.
Source: BBC Sport
