Ten-man Paraguay held off relentless Turkish pressure to secure a vital World Cup victory.
Paraguay boosted their chances of reaching the World Cup Round of 32 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Turkey, despite playing the entire second half with 10 men.
Matias Galarza scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far after just 64 seconds, firing home from outside the box to give Paraguay an early lead.
The match took a dramatic turn in first-half stoppage time when Miguel Almiron was sent off following a VAR review. The former Newcastle United midfielder became the first player dismissed under a new World Cup rule after covering his mouth during a confrontation with Turkey defender Mert Muldur.
Turkey dominated possession and created numerous chances but failed to find an equaliser. Mert Muldur struck the woodwork, while Deniz Gul and Can Uzun both came close in the second half.
The result leaves Turkey eliminated after suffering back-to-back defeats, despite registering 62 shots across their opening two matches without scoring a goal.
Paraguay had lost 4-1 to the United States in their opener, while Turkey were beaten 2-0 by Australia. The victory keeps Paraguay firmly in contention for a knockout-stage place.
Paraguay will qualify for the Round of 32 if they defeat Australia in their final Group D match.
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/scotland-vs-morocco-world-cup-1-0-defeat/
