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Almiron was sent off during first-half stoppage time.
Jeff Chiu/AP / Alamy
On The 42
Unwanted History
Almiron becomes first player sent off under 'mouth-covering' rule as Paraguay knock Turkey out
Matias Galarza’s early goal boosted Paraguay’s qualification hopes and sent Turkey home.
Turkey 0
Paraguay 1
TURKEY WERE KNOCKED out of the World Cup with a game to spare following a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay in Santa Clara, while Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron claimed an unwanted piece of football history after becoming the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth during an on-field confrontation under new Fifa rules.
Matias Galarza scored the game’s only goal after just 64 seconds, boosting Paraguay’s chances of progressing to the knockout rounds and condemning Turkey to finish bottom of Group D, irrespective of what happens in their final match.
🇹🇷 0-1 🇵🇾
Matias Galarza fires Paraguay into the lead with a brilliant long range strike after just 64 seconds, making it the quickest goal of the tournament so far
Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup on RTÉ pic.twitter.com/CYBeghmPTJ— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 20, 2026Advertisement
Former Newcastle player Almiron was given his marching orders in first-half stoppage time after covering his mouth while he appeared to direct a comment at Turkey’s Mert Muldur.
Fifa announced in April that players who cover their mouths in confrontations with opponents will be given a red card. The new rule follows controversy earlier this year when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior during a Champions League game in February.
🇹🇷 0-1 🇵🇾
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 20, 2026
Things are really boiling over here in San Francisco as after a VAR review Miguel Almiron is sent off for covering his mouth while talking to another player during a skuffle
Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup on RTÉ pic.twitter.com/XRpSYbgnib
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