Miguel Almiron was the first player to receive a red card for covering his mouth in the World Cup, yet 10-man Paraguay tenaciously held on to enhance their chances of reaching the last 32 and knock out Turkey.
Paraguay went ahead only 64 seconds in when midfielder Matias Galarza struck from outside the box, marking the quickest goal of the tournament and ultimately the decisive one in the match.
Former Newcastle United midfielder Almiron covered his mouth in an altercation with Turkey defender Mert Muldur during first-half stoppage time, resulting in a video assistant referee review and a red card issued by Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton due to a new rule implemented prior to the World Cup.
Both teams entered the match following losses, as Paraguay suffered a 4-1 defeat to the host USA, while Australia secured a 2-0 victory over Turkey. This added pressure to the encounter, resulting in an intense competition.
Turkey controlled the first half but only registered one shot on goal from 12 tries, while a deflected header from Muldur struck the bar and the post—before Almiron’s red card made it an even tougher evening for Paraguay.
Merih Demiral challenged Orlando Gill after the break, but substitute Deniz Gul squandered a big opportunity with a close-range header that went directly to the Paraguay goalkeeper.
Can Uzun compelled Gill to make a remarkable save late in the game, but Gul somehow skewed the follow-up wide, though it probably would have been disallowed for offside to save him from embarrassment.
Turkey made 30 attempts on goal against the Socceroos in their opening match and added another 32 here but were unable to score against the 10 men in the second half, remaining without goals in this tournament.
They cannot advance now following two losses, while Paraguay is aware that a victory over Australia in their last Group D match will secure their place in the knockout rounds.
