Matias galarza

FIFA World Cup: Matias Galarza's record-breaking early strike and a resilient defensive display helped 10-man Paraguay secure a dramatic 1-0 victory over Turkey on Saturday, keeping their FIFA World Cup 2026 hopes alive while eliminating the Turks from the tournament.

Paraguay, who lost 4-1 to the United States in their first Group D match, got off to a great start when Galarza scored just 64 seconds into the game. The midfielder hit a powerful low shot from 25 meters that beat the goalkeeper, setting a new record for the fastest goal of the tournament. This goal surpassed the previous record of 71 seconds set by Morocco's Ismael Saibari against Scotland earlier that day.

The South Americans seemed comfortable for much of the first half. However, they faced a big setback in first-half stoppage time when Miguel Almiron received a straight red card. The Paraguay midfielder was the first player in World Cup history to be penalized under FIFA's new disciplinary rule for covering his mouth during a confrontation with Turkey's Mert Muldur. After a VAR review, the decision was upheld, forcing Paraguay to play the entire second half with 10 players.