Turkey’s disappointing FIFA World Cup campaign came to an early end after they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay despite dominating possession and creating a record number of chances.
Returning to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years, Turkey arrived with high expectations after an impressive Euro 2024 run, but their lack of finishing proved costly once again. After managing 30 unsuccessful attempts in their opening defeat to Australia, they produced another wasteful display with 32 shots against Paraguay without finding the net.
Paraguay struck the decisive blow inside the opening two minutes when Matías Galarza produced a stunning long-range effort to score the fastest goal of the tournament. The strike stunned Turkey and allowed Paraguay to focus on defending their advantage.
Softfootball understands that Turkey pushed relentlessly for an equaliser and came closest through Mert Müldür, whose 35th-minute header from a free-kick struck the post after beating the goalkeeper. Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız, Barış Yılmaz and Merih Demiral all had opportunities, but Paraguay’s defence and goalkeeper Orlando Gill stood firm.
Paraguay were reduced to 10 men before halftime after Miguel Almirón was sent off following a confrontation with Müldür, but Turkey were unable to take advantage of the numerical advantage. Despite controlling 79% possession and registering 12 corners, they failed to break through.
The defeat leaves Turkey eliminated with one match remaining against already-qualified United States, while Paraguay keep their qualification hopes alive after a resilient performance.
Coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players for their determination, while Turkey’s young star Arda Güler apologised to supporters, admitting the team should have converted their chances.
Player Ratings
Turkey
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Ugurcan Çakır | 6.1 |
| Mert Müldür | 7.7 |
| Merih Demiral | 7.1 |
| Abdülkerim Bardakcı | 7.9 |
| Ferdi Kadıoğlu | 7.1 |
| İsmail Yüksek | 6.8 |
| Hakan Çalhanoğlu | 7.8 |
| Yunus Akgün | 6.0 |
| Arda Güler | 7.1 |
| Kenan Yıldız | 7.4 |
| Kerem Aktürkoğlu | 6.0 |
Paraguay
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Orlando Gill | 8.2 |
| Juan Cáceres | 8.4 |
| Gustavo Gómez | 7.3 |
| Omar Alderete | 7.3 |
| Junior Alonso | 7.1 |
| Miguel Almirón | 6.0 |
| Andrés Cubas | 7.0 |
| Diego Gómez | 6.6 |
| Matías Galarza | 8.1 |
| Julio Enciso | 8.6 |
| Isidro Pitta | 5.7 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Turkey | Paraguay |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 0 | 1 |
| Possession | 79% | 21% |
| Attempts | 32 | 7 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 2 |
| Corners | 12 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 3 |
| Passes | 561 | 93 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 |
