When Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro came into the dressing room after his team’s dramatic 1-0 win over Turkey, the first thing he said to Miguel Almiron was: “Change that face.”Almiron was heavily affected after being given a straight red card for covering his mouth — the first time such a punishment has been given in the history of the sport following the introduction of a new rule ahead of the tournament.In added time of the first half, referee Ivan Barton stopped play for a foul on Paraguay’s Isidro Pitta which prompted some shoving from players from both teams. As the melee cleared, Almiron walked past Turkey’s Mert Muldur and put his right hand over his mouth while appearing to say something to his opponent.Muldur ran towards the assistant referee and pointed at Almiron while miming the action the Atlanta United forward had performed. The VAR sent referee Barton to the pitch-side monitor to check a possible red-card offence, and Almiron was sent off.Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic appAlmiron reacts to being sent off (Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)The incident led to differing views from both teams. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Alfaro revealed he told Almiron not to worry about the decision. “(I said) we have won. Don’t feel guilty about anything. What happened brought the fighting spirit out of your team-mates.”After the game, when Paraguay players and staff gathered to pray, former Newcastle United player Almiron was the first to speak. He apologised to his team-mates for his mistake and the difficult situation his action had put his team in.“The truth is a red card hurts,” team-mate Julio Enciso told reporters after the match. “Who wouldn’t be hurt by a red card so early in the match? But we did it for Miguel.”“Almiron has a huge commitment to the team,” added Alvaro. “That’s why he was hurt. He felt for an experienced player like him that should not happen. But we’re here to stand by him.”