Matías Galarza scored the fastest goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and goalkeeper Orlando Gill delivered a heroic performance as Paraguay secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Turkiye on Friday, despite playing more than half the match with 10 men.
Galarza struck just 65 seconds after kickoff, firing a powerful left-footed effort from outside the penalty area into the net to hand Paraguay an early lead.
The goal, the quickest of the tournament so far, proved decisive as Paraguay held firm under relentless Turkish pressure.
The victory revived Paraguay’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage following their heavy 4-1 defeat to the United States in the opening group match.
It also guaranteed the United States top spot in Group D while ending Turkiye’s hopes of advancing after a second consecutive defeat.
Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro was rewarded for his tactical adjustment, handing Galarza a starting berth after the midfielder was left on the bench in the opening game.
The Atlanta United player repaid that faith almost immediately with his historic strike.
Turkiye came close to finding an equaliser before halftime when Mert Müldür rose highest to meet a free-kick, but his header rattled both the crossbar and the post before bouncing away.
The match took a dramatic turn in first-half stoppage time when Paraguay captain Miguel Almirón was shown a straight red card following a confrontation with Müldür near midfield.
Under a newly introduced World Cup regulation, players are prohibited from covering their mouths during heated exchanges with opponents or officials.
After exchanging words with Müldür, Almirón briefly covered his mouth while speaking. The Turkish defender immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton, who consulted VAR before issuing the dismissal, leaving Paraguay a man down for the remainder of the contest.
Despite enjoying the numerical advantage and dominating possession, Turkiye struggled to break down Paraguay’s resilient defence.
The Turks, who qualified for their first World Cup since 2002, were unable to replicate the form that saw them finish third at that tournament.
Gill emerged as Paraguay’s standout performer in the second half. The goalkeeper produced a series of crucial saves, first reacting brilliantly to a dangerous deflection from Merih Demiral’s effort before denying Abdulkerim Bardakci with a long-range strike.
He later made another vital stop to keep out Can Uzun from close range, while Deniz Gül failed to convert the rebound, sending his effort wide of the target.
Turkiye launched one final push deep into stoppage time, but Demiral’s late header drifted wide, extinguishing their last hopes of salvaging a point.
Paraguay will now face Australia in their final group-stage match next Thursday, with second place in Group D and a potential knockout-round berth still up for grabs.
