Turkey eliminated from World Cup after 1-0 loss to Paraguay, Almirón sent off under new FIFA mouth-covering rule

Fastest goal of the tournament

Paraguay stunned Turkey with the quickest goal of the 2026 World Cup so far, scored by Matías Galarza after just over one minute at Levi's Stadium in San Francisco. Galarza struck a left-footed shot from outside the box that flew past goalkeeper Çakir, giving the South Americans a lead they would defend for the remainder of the match.

New FIFA rules under scrutiny

The encounter became a showcase for fresh regulations. Referee Iván Barton from El Salvador applied the new eight-second goalkeeper rule against Paraguay, awarding a corner when the goalkeeper took too long to restart play. He also penalised delays on throw-ins by reversing possession. A yellow card was shown for the first hard tackle on the Paraguayan goalscorer in the third minute, and bookings followed for both benches at the slightest sign of protest.

Turkey's dominance without reward

Turkey controlled nearly 80% possession and registered 31 attempts on goal, yet failed to find an equaliser. Mert Müldür's header in the 35th minute struck both the crossbar and the post before bouncing clear. Striker Enciso almost doubled Paraguay's lead on the counter-attack in the 61st minute. Goalkeeper Gil preserved Paraguay's advantage late on, saving from Gül in the 62nd minute and denying Yılmaz's setup in the 89th.

Historic red card for Almirón

In first-half stoppage time, Miguel Almirón was sent off after VAR review. The Paraguayan midfielder placed his hand over his mouth while speaking to Turkish defender Mert Müldür – a direct violation of a new FIFA rule punishing such conduct with a red card. It was the first application of the regulation at this World Cup, leaving Paraguay with ten men for the entire second half.

We had the ball, we had the shots, but we didn't have the clarity to score.

What it means for Group 4

The win moves Paraguay to three points and keeps them in contention for the knockout stage ahead of their final group match against Australia. Turkey, returning to the World Cup finals for the first time since 2002, are now eliminated. Paraguay's disciplined defensive performance – executing a plan to absorb pressure and break when possible – proved decisive.