Paraguay revived their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a determined 1-0 victory over Türkiye in a tense Group D clash, boosting their hopes of reaching the knockout stage while eliminating the European side from contention.

The South Americans struck almost immediately, with Matías Galarza firing home after just over a minute to register one of the fastest goals of the tournament. The early breakthrough proved decisive as Paraguay defended resolutely for the remainder of the contest.

Despite enjoying nearly 80 percent possession and creating numerous chances, Türkiye were unable to find a way past Paraguay’s disciplined backline. The South Americans were forced to dig even deeper after captain Miguel Almirón was sent off before halftime, leaving them to play the entire second half with ten men. Nevertheless, they held firm to secure a crucial three points and remain firmly in the race for qualification. The result leaves Türkiye eliminated after suffering a second consecutive defeat in Group D.

The victory represents a remarkable turnaround for Paraguay following their 4-1 defeat to the United States in their opening match and sets up a decisive final group encounter against Australia.

South Africa Keep Hope Alive Against Czechia

Earlier in Group A, South Africa earned a valuable 1-1 draw against Czechia to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Bafana Bafana showed resilience after their opening defeat to Mexico, battling hard to secure a point in Atlanta. The result ensured South Africa remained in contention heading into their final group match against South Korea, while Czechia also stayed in the hunt for a place in the Round of 32.

Ghana Snatch Dramatic Victory Over Panama

African representatives Ghana opened their World Cup campaign with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Caleb Yirenkyi.

With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Yirenkyi struck in the fifth minute of added time to hand the Black Stars all three points. The victory gives Ghana a strong platform ahead of a crucial clash against England in their second group fixture.

United States Become One of First Teams to Qualify

The United States continued their impressive tournament start by defeating Australia 2-0 to secure a place in the knockout stage.

After opening with a convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay, the Americans made it two wins from two matches and became one of the first teams to officially book a place in the Round of 32.

Morocco and Brazil Strengthen Group C Positions

In Group C action, Morocco boosted their qualification hopes with a victory over Scotland, while Brazil comfortably defeated Haiti 3-0 to remain among the tournament favorites.

The results intensified the battle at the top of the group heading into the final round of matches, with both Morocco and Brazil positioning themselves strongly for progression.

Mexico Close In On Knockout Stage

Co-hosts Mexico continued their strong start to the tournament by defeating South Korea 1-0 after opening with a 2-0 victory against South Africa.

The win moved Mexico to the brink of qualification and eventually confirmed them as one of the first teams through to the knockout rounds following other Group A results.

Second-Round Results So Far

• Czechia 1-1 South Africa
• Ghana 1-0 Panama
• Mexico 1-0 South Korea
• United States 2-0 Australia
• Paraguay 1-0 Türkiye
• Brazil 3-0 Haiti
• Morocco defeated Scotland
• Additional Group E and Group F fixtures continue across the weekend.

With the group stage approaching its decisive final round, several African nations remain firmly in contention for a place in the expanded Round of 32, while the race for qualification continues to intensify across the tournament.

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