Paraguay hold off 10-man fight to eliminate Turkey after early goal

A goal inside the opening minute, a controversial sending-off, and relentless pressure from start to finish defined a dramatic World Cup encounter as 10-man Paraguay survived a major scare to defeat Turkey and stay in the hunt for the last 32, while ending Turkey’s tournament hopes.

Paraguay made a dream start when Matias Galarza struck after just 64 seconds, firing from distance to register the fastest goal of the competition so far and what turned out to be the decisive moment of the match. From there, Turkey took full command, dominating possession and territory as they searched for an equaliser.

The match took a major turn just before halftime when Miguel Almiron was shown a red card after covering his mouth during an exchange with Turkey defender Mert Muldur.

The incident was reviewed by the video assistant referee before referee Ivan Barton issued the dismissal under a new rule introduced ahead of the tournament.

Matias Galarza's goal was the fastest so far scored at this World Cup.PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Both teams entered the game needing a result after opening defeats, with Paraguay beaten 4-1 by hosts USA and Turkey losing 2-0 to Australia, adding pressure to an already tense contest that quickly became one-sided in terms of attacking play.

Despite their dominance, Turkey failed to convert chances into goals. A deflected header from Mert Muldur struck both the crossbar and the post, while Merih Demiral forced a save from goalkeeper Orlando Gill after the break.

Late in the game, Turkey continued to push forward. Deniz Gul missed a close-range header that was saved by Gill, while Can Uzun also forced another stop before Gul sent the rebound wide, with the chance likely to be ruled offside anyway.

Across two matches, Turkey have now registered 62 shots without scoring, including 30 against Australia and 32 in this match. They also dominated possession heavily in both games, including 78.5 percent in this fixture, but still could not find the net.

Turkey are now eliminated from the tournament without a single goal, despite their attacking control, while Paraguay remain in contention and will qualify for the knockout stage if they beat Australia in their final group match.