Galarza's 64-second strike sends Türkiye home as 10-man Paraguay survive

Matías Galarza struck after just 64 seconds — the fastest goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far — as Paraguay defeated Türkiye 1-0 at San Francisco Bay Stadium, eliminating the Turks from the tournament after two group-stage games in which they failed to score a single goal. Paraguay completed the win with 10 men, having played the entire second half a man down.

Galarza sets the tone inside two minutes

Galarza, who plays his club football for Atlanta United in MLS, was not even in the squad for Paraguay’s opening 4-1 loss to the United States. Head coach Gustavo Alfaro turned to him here, and the midfielder repaid that faith immediately. Receiving the ball outside the box, Galarza shaped as though to play a pass into the area before spotting a clear lane and drilling a low shot past Türkiye goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakir.

The goal forced Türkiye into an aggressive, high-pressing approach, which in turn pushed Paraguay deeper and set the template for the rest of the match: Türkiye dominating possession and territory, Paraguay defending resolutely and looking to hurt them on the counter.

Almiron’s red card changes the shape

The game’s most consequential moment came in first-half stoppage time. Veteran Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron covered his mouth while saying something to Türkiye’s Mert Müldür — a gesture Müldür immediately flagged to referee Iván Barton of El Salvador. FIFA had introduced a rule ahead of the tournament explicitly prohibiting players from making covered-mouth communications to opponents, and all players had been informed. Barton consulted the VAR monitor and sent Almiron off, leaving Paraguay to defend their lead with 10 men for the entire second half.

Türkiye’s finishing woes prove fatal

Despite their numerical advantage, Türkiye could not find a way through. Their best chance of the first half came when captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s free kick found Müldür, whose header struck the crossbar and then the post. It was a moment that summed up Türkiye’s tournament: dominant in possession and shot volume, but unable to convert pressure into goals. They had produced similar statistics in their opening defeat to Australia.

Paraguay’s occasional counter-attacks through long balls tested Türkiye’s high defensive line, though clear opportunities were rare.

What the result means

With the win, Paraguay keep their qualification hopes alive heading into their final group game against Australia, with the winner of that match guaranteed a place in the round of 32. Türkiye, meanwhile, are eliminated and will play their final group game against the United States for pride only. The United States’ position at the top of Group D was confirmed by the result.