Turkey Eliminated from World Cup After Loss to Paraguay; USA Secures Group D Top Spot

TITLE: Turkey Eliminated from World Cup After Loss to Paraguay; USA Secures Group D Top Spot
SLUG: turkey-eliminated-world-cup-paraguay-usa-group-d
EXCERPT: Turkey’s World Cup journey ends in the group stage following a narrow defeat to Paraguay, marked by a historic red card for Miguel Almirón. The United States confirmed their position at the top of Group D.
CATEGORY: News
TAGS: World Cup, Turkey, Paraguay, USA, Miguel Almirón, Football
SEO_TITLE: Turkey Eliminated from World Cup; USA Wins Group D
SEO_DESCRIPTION: Turkey’s World Cup dreams are over after a loss to Paraguay, which included a controversial red card. The USA finished atop Group D, setting up their next match in the Round of 32.
MEDIA_QUERY: World Cup soccer match
IMAGE_ALT: A soccer player kicking a ball during a World Cup match.

Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey has been eliminated from the World Cup group stage following a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay. The match, held on June 20, 2026, was decided by a single goal and saw a significant disciplinary incident that ultimately did not swing the game in Turkey’s favor.

Paraguay Takes Early Lead

Matias Galarza scored the decisive goal for Paraguay just minutes into the match with a well-placed finish. The Atlanta United midfielder’s early strike set the tone for a hard-fought encounter. Despite the setback, Turkey pushed for an equalizer throughout the game.

Historic Red Card Issued

A pivotal moment occurred at the stroke of halftime when Paraguayan player Miguel Almirón was shown a straight red card. Referee Iván Barton issued the card under a new rule for Almirón’s actions of covering his mouth while speaking towards an opponent. This made Almirón the first player to receive such a red card in World Cup history.

Turkey Fails to Capitalize

Despite the advantage of playing with an extra man in the second half, Turkey could not find the back of the net. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun made his World Cup debut and came close to scoring on multiple occasions, but was unable to convert his chances. A late header from Merih Demiral in injury time also narrowly missed the target, sealing Turkey’s fate.

United States Confirms Top Spot

In the same group, the United States secured their position as Group D winners. Their victory ensures they will play their Round of 32 match at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Meanwhile, Paraguay and Australia will now compete for the second automatic qualification spot in the group. Turkey will finish at the bottom of the group regardless of their final match result against the co-hosts.

Key facts

This result marks a disappointing end to Turkey’s World Cup campaign, failing to advance past the group stage. The United States’ strong performance has positioned them favorably for the knockout rounds, while Paraguay and Australia will battle for a chance to progress.

Source: Yahoo Sports – World Cup: Turkey exit as Paraguay survive historic red card, USA win Group D (https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/world-cup-turkey-exit-paraguay-052700084.html)