Paraguay save FIFA World Cup skins with win over eliminated Turkiye

SAN FRANCISCO (Agencies): Ten-man Paraguay beat Turkiye 1-0 at the World Cup on Friday, a result that kept their hopes alive and also guaranteed that co-hosts the USA win Group D. Turkiye’s defeat means they become the second team after Haiti to be eliminated from contention. Matias Galarza scored the only goal in a game that featured the first sending off in World Cup history for a player covering their mouth during an on-field confrontation, for Miguel Almiron. Galarza’s low, long-range shot evaded Turkiye goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir after just 63 seconds. Former Newcastle forward Almiron was given his marching orders in first-half stoppage time after covering his mouth while he appeared to direct a comment at Turkiye’s Mert Muldur. In a scrappy match, Deniz Gul had a golden chance to equalize in the 88th minute when Paraguay ’keeper Orlando Gill could only parry a shot, but he stabbed his shot wide of the goal. Merih Demiral glanced a header wide in the dying seconds and was almost in tears afterwards as the Turkiye players slumped to the turf in bitter disappointment.