Türkiye's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign came to an abrupt end early Saturday after a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay, a result that left the Crescent-Stars without a point and eliminated before the final round of Group D matches.
Despite dominating possession for long stretches and playing against 10 men for the entire second half, Türkiye failed to find a breakthrough as Paraguay defended resolutely and capitalized on an early defensive mistake.
The match, officiated by El Salvador's Ivan Barton, began disastrously for Türkiye.
Just minutes after kickoff, defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı's attempted clearance fell kindly to Julio Enciso, who quickly fed Mathias Galarza.
The midfielder took advantage of the space outside the penalty area and unleashed a low strike that beat goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, giving Paraguay a 1-0 lead.
