{"id":368728,"date":"2026-06-20T23:54:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T23:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/368728\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T23:54:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T23:54:45","slug":"paraguay-beats-turkey-punches-usas-ticket-to-bay-area-knockout-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/368728\/","title":{"rendered":"Paraguay beats Turkey, punches USA\u2019s ticket to Bay Area knockout round"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANTA CLARA \u2013 The United States\u2019 red-hot<\/a> national team is headed to the Bay Area for its first knockout stage match.<\/p>\n

After beating Australia in Seattle on Friday afternoon, the Americans simply needed Paraguay<\/a> to draw with Turkey at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday night to secure a spot in Santa Clara on July 1 as a group winner.<\/p>\n

Paraguay came through with a 1-0 victory. The U.S. thus clinched Group D with two victories, including a 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in an opener on June 12.<\/p>\n

The Americans play their final group stage match Thursday against Turkey in Inglewood.<\/p>\n

No matter what happens, the U.S. is coming to Santa Clara.<\/p>\n

It took just over one minute for Paraguay to take the lead against Turkey. Matias Galarza took a pass from Julio Enciso and fired a low ball across the grass from just outside the box, rocketing the left-footed shot past the keeper.<\/p>\n

\"Paraguay'sParaguay’s Julio Enciso (19) and Turkey’s Kenan Yildiz (11) fight for the ball during the second half of a FIFA World Cup match at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hundreds of Turkish fans sitting right behind the goal sat in stunned silence, holding their lit cigarettes \u2014 yes, seriously \u2014 in disbelief as their team\u2019s chances of making it out of the group stage was well on the way of going up in smoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw the ball go in, I started running,\u201d Galarza said. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just as Paraguay had lost its first game of the group stage, Turkey had also fallen, 2-0 to Australia, despite dominating possession. A similar script unfolded on Friday night in the South Bay.<\/p>\n

After going up in the first minute, Paraguay then spent the next 90-plus minutes holding on for dear life.<\/p>\n

With such an early lead, the South Americans decided to play a dangerous game with the talented Turkish squad.<\/p>\n

They sat in a low block, a solid 4-4-2 with little space between the lines. It gave precious little room for Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz to operate, but also constricted Paraguay\u2019s attack as well.<\/p>\n

Instead of committing bodies forward in search of a second goal, Paraguay allowed the opponent to enjoy 78% possession time. But possessing the ball did not translate into a multitude of shot attempts early, with Turkey registering only one shot on target the entire first half.<\/p>\n

\"Paraguay'sParaguay’s Mat\u00edas Galarza (23) celebrates scoring a goal against Turkey with Paraguay’s Andr\u00e9s Cubas (14) in the first half during a FIFA World Cup match in the first half at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Their No. 10, Hakan \u00c7alhanoglu, created the squad\u2019s best chance of the half with a nice ball into the box in the 34th minute, but defender Mert M\u00fcld\u00fcr\u2019s header somehow ricocheted off both the top and side posts in rapid succession.<\/p>\n

Paraguay\u2019s defensive mindset was only solidified three minutes into first-half stoppage time when their captain was sent off with a red card.<\/p>\n

Miguel Almiron was seen saying something to Mert M\u00fcld\u00fcr while covering his mouth, and per FIFA\u2019s new regulations, that necessitated an automatic red card.<\/p>\n

A number of Paraguayan supporters responded by whistling with vitriol while several others hurled profanities at the officials.<\/p>\n

The rule was, in part, put in place after Brazil star Vinicius Junior alleged that defender Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth and directed anti-LGBTQ statements toward the forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt hurts when it happens so early on,\u201d Enciso said. \u201cIn the end, we felt like we were playing against everyone, truly.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the 58th minute, Turkey drew goalkeeper Orlando Gil out of the box. But after a scramble for the ball, Gil emerged with it clutched in his arms and another Turkey attack was stifled.<\/p>\n

After getting up 28 shots against Australia and 32 against Paraguay, Turkey\u2019s coach was mystified by the results.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve seen two consecutive matches like that in my football career,\u201d Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said. \u201cFate was not on our side.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turkey sent wave after wave of attackers upon a besieged Paraguayan defense, but defenseman Juan Jose C\u00e1ceres and his teammates did not bend under immense pressure despite facing 32 shots. Turkey\u2019s stars were left in tears after the loss, while Paraguay\u2019s supporters turned the stands into bedlam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really very sorry. It is embarrassing and apologize to the Turkish people,\u201d a distraught Guler said through an interpreter. \u201cEverybody is sad and everybody is crying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paraguay will finish its group stage play against Australia at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Thursday, but preparing for the match was the last thing on the Paraguayans\u2019 minds after Friday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never forget this night for the rest of my life,\u201d Galarza said.<\/p>\n

\"ParaguayParaguay fans walk towards the stadium before a FIFA World Cup game against Turkey and Paraguay at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"ParaguayParaguay and Turkey players push one another after Paraguay’s Isidro Pitta (25) was fouled during the first half of a FIFA World Cup match at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"ParaguayParaguay players dogpile on teammate Mat\u00edas Galarza (23) after he scores a goal against Turkey in the first half of a FIFA World Cup match at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"ParaguayParaguay huddles before playing against Turkey in a FIFA World Cup match at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"ParaguayParaguay Goalkeeper Orlando Gill (12) makes a save as teammate Paraguay’s Isidro Pitta (25) avoid to kick him during the first half of a FIFA World Cup match against the Turkey at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"Turkey'sTurkey’s Kenan Yildiz (11) goes up for a bicycle kick against the Paraguay during the first half of a FIFA World Cup match at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"ParaguayParaguay fans celebrate after Paraguay wins against Turkey during a FIFA World Cup match at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"AA FIFA banner is brought out during an opening ceremony before a FIFA World Cup match between Paraguay and Turkey at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"Turkey'sTurkey’s Abdulkerim Bardakci (14) reacts after attempting to score a goal against the Paraguay during the second half of a FIFA World Cup match at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"68,82768,827 people attended a FIFA World Cup match against Paraguay and Turkey at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0
\n\"ParaguayParaguay fans cheer during the second half of a FIFA World Cup match against Paraguay at Levi\u2019s Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SANTA CLARA \u2013 The United States\u2019 red-hot national team is headed to the Bay Area for its first…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":368729,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[184,7,181,88,90,89,1083,127,47118],"class_list":["post-368728","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-jose","tag-bay-area","tag-california","tag-latest-headlines","tag-san-jose","tag-san-jose-headlines","tag-san-jose-news","tag-soccer","tag-sports","tag-world-cup-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368728","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368728"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368728\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/368729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368728"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368728"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368728"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}