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n” “nUnited States. The Paraguay national team achieved a valuable 1-0 victory over Turkey this Saturday in Santa Clara and kept its aspirations of advancing to the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.
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The only goal of the match came just 64 seconds into play, when Matías Galarza took advantage of an early opportunity to score the fastest goal recorded so far in the tournament. The 24-year-old midfielder beat by seven seconds the goal scored hours earlier by Ismael Saibari in the duel between Morocco and Scotland.
However, the match became complicated for the Paraguayans before halftime. Miguel Almirón was sent off after covering his mouth while addressing an opponent, becoming the first player sanctioned under the new disciplinary regulations implemented in this World Cup, which punishes gestures intended to hide protests or comments directed at referees and opponents.
n” “nWith one man down for the entire second half, the team led by Gustavo Alfaro resisted the Turkish pressure. Although Vincenzo Montella’s team dominated much of the second half and accumulated chances, they failed to find the path to an equalizer.
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This is how Group D looks
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- United States: qualified with two victories. nnnn
- Paraguay: 3 points. nnnn
- Australia: 3 points. nnnn
- Turkey: eliminated after suffering two defeats. n
The runner-up position in the group will be decided on the final matchday between Paraguay and Australia.
n” “nKey facts
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- Fastest goal of the 2026 World Cup: Matías Galarza (64 seconds). nnnn
- First expulsion applied under the tournament’s new conduct rule. nnnn
- Turkey is mathematically eliminated before the third matchday. nnnn
- Paraguay maintains chances of advancing to the round of 16 despite playing the entire second half with ten players. n
