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Paraguay Wins 1-0, Fastest Goal, Almirón Sent Off

6/20/2026

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Summary

Paraguay Scores Fast

Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0 at Levi’s Stadium on June 19, 2026.
Matías Galarza scored 65 seconds in, the tournament’s fastest World Cup goal.
Miguel Almirón was sent off in first-half stoppage time for covering his mouth, the first use of FIFA’s new rule.
Turkey’s 32 shots and 24 on target failed to produce a goal, while Orlando Gill’s saves preserved Paraguay’s lead.

Summary

Almirón Red-Carded

Miguel Almirón, Paraguay midfielder, was red-carded, becoming the first World Cup player dismissed under IFAB’s new mouth-covering rule.
The rule, created after a League clash between Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, mandates a red card for a player who covers his mouth.
Ivan Barton used video review before issuing the card, which gave Paraguay its third Cup red card after Carlos Paredes and Roberto Acuña in 2002.

History

Historical Context

Paraguay’s disciplinary challenges, highlighted by their 2002 World Cup exit to Germany, echo a long-standing pattern of strict World Cup enforcement. The first sending-off occurred in 1930, physical red cards were introduced in 1970, and FIFA’s records show the tournament peaked with 28 expulsions in 2006 – the most ever.

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Paraguay Scores Fast

Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0 at Levi’s Stadium on June 19, 2026.
Matías Galarza scored 65 seconds in, the tournament’s fastest World Cup goal.
Miguel Almirón was sent off in first-half stoppage time for covering his mouth, the first use of FIFA’s new rule.
Turkey’s 32 shots and 24 on target failed to produce a goal, while Orlando Gill’s saves preserved Paraguay’s lead.

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