This team had 62 shots and still couldn't score. Their World Cup ended in tears

A solitary goal from Matias Galarza secured Paraguay's crucial victory, earning the South Americans three valuable points and significantly boosting their hopes of reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32. Paraguay struck almost immediately at the San Francisco Bay Area venue, taking the lead just 65 seconds into the match. A misplaced pass from Turkiye gifted possession to the South Americans, and Galarza capitalized with a powerful long-range effort that beat goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakir and found the back of the net.

After the early setback, Turkiye gradually found their rhythm and began creating opportunities. Arda Guler fired over the crossbar in the 14th minute, while Kenan Yildiz forced goalkeeper Orlando Gill into action with an audacious bicycle kick attempt. The Turks nearly equalized shortly after the half-hour mark when Mert Muldur's header from a free-kick struck both the crossbar and the post before bouncing away in dramatic fashion. Paraguay remained threatening on the counterattack, with Juan Jose Caceres testing Çakir with a well-struck effort. However, the game changed moments before halftime when Miguel Almiron received a red card after an altercation, reducing Paraguay to 10 men for the entire second half.

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Despite enjoying a numerical advantage after the break, Turkiye failed to find the breakthrough they desperately needed. Paraguay almost doubled their lead through Julio Enciso, whose effort drifted wide after cutting inside from the right flank.

Substitute Deniz Gul later headed directly at Gill from a promising position, while Can Uzun narrowly missed the target as Turkiye increased the pressure.

The European side's best opportunity arrived late in the contest, but Uzun shot straight at Gill after a well-worked attacking move. Deep into stoppage time, defender Merih Demiral also failed to hit the target with a crucial header. The final whistle confirmed Paraguay's first victory of the tournament and strengthened their chances of progressing to the knockout stage. For Turkiye, a second consecutive defeat ended their World Cup dream, leaving their final group-stage match against the United States on June 26 with only pride at stake.

According to Opta, Turkiye have now attempted 62 shots across their first two matches without scoring a single goal. In contrast, their opponents have managed three goals from just 16 attempts, underlining the cruel efficiency that often defines football's biggest stage.