2026 FIFA World Cup — Group D, Matchday 2 | June 20 | AT&T Stadium, Dallas
DALLAS — Miguel Almiron was smiling before he even struck the ball.
He had picked it up 25 yards from goal, with Turkey’s defence retreating and the Paraguayan fans holding their breath. He looked up. He saw the space. And he smiled — a small, knowing smile, the smile of a man who has already decided what he is going to do.
Then he did it.
The strike was pure. The ball left his left foot and arced through the Dallas air, dipping and swerving, a trajectory that seemed to defy geometry. Ugurcan Cakir, the Turkish goalkeeper, threw himself across the goal. His fingertips brushed the air where the ball had been. The net rippled.
1-1. Almiron ran to the corner flag, arms spread wide, the smile now a full grin. He had saved his country’s World Cup.
The Weight of a Nation
Almiron carries Paraguay on his shoulders. He is their captain. He is their best player. He is the only Paraguayan playing in the Premier League. When Paraguay need a moment of magic, they look to him. They always look to him.
Against the United States in the opener, Almiron had been quiet. Paraguay lost 1-0. The questions were already being asked: was this Paraguay team good enough? Was Almiron good enough?
He answered those questions with one swing of his left foot.
Turkey’s Familiar Pain
For Turkey, this was a painful case of history repeating itself. They took the lead — Baris Yilmaz pouncing on a loose ball in the box just before half-time, the perfect moment to score. They had the game in their hands. And then they let it slip.
After the goal, Turkey retreated. They stopped pressing. They stopped attacking. They stopped doing the things that had got them the lead. They allowed Paraguay to take control, and once Almiron had the ball at his feet with space to shoot, the outcome was inevitable.
Turkey’s old weakness — the inability to manage a lead — has cost them again. They now face the United States in their final group match. They need to win. And they need to learn, finally, how to play with a lead.
Group D Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Turkey | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| 4 | Paraguay | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
Match Details:
- Turkey 1-1 Paraguay
- Venue: AT&T Stadium, Dallas, USA
- Goals: Yilmaz 41′ (Turkey); Almiron 67′ (Paraguay)
- Man of the Match: Miguel Almiron (Paraguay)