Turkey and Haiti became the latest casualties of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after both nations crashed out of the tournament following disappointing results after two match days. Turkey’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage were extinguished after a resilient Paraguay side battled to a 1-0 victory despite playing much……
Turkey and Haiti became the latest casualties of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after both nations crashed out of the tournament following disappointing results after two match days.
Turkey’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage were extinguished after a resilient Paraguay side battled to a 1-0 victory despite playing much of the contest with 10 men.
The South Americans stunned Turkey with the quickest goal of the tournament so far, as midfielder Matias Galarza unleashed a powerful low strike from long range just 64 seconds into the encounter. The effort surpassed the previous fastest goal of the World Cup, scored by Morocco’s Ismael Saibari after 71 seconds in their victory over Scotland.
Paraguay’s task became significantly more difficult shortly before halftime when Miguel Almiron was shown a straight red card in stoppage time following an altercation with Turkey defender Mert Muldur, becoming the first player sanctioned under the tournament’s newly introduced conduct regulations.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Paraguay produced a determined defensive display, repelling repeated Turkish attacks throughout the second half to secure all three points. The victory marked a remarkable turnaround for the South Americans, who had suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to the United States in their opening fixture.
The result also confirmed the United States as Group D winners and ended Turkey’s campaign with one match still to play.
In Group C, Haiti became the first nation officially eliminated from the tournament after suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Brazil.
The Caribbean side struggled to contain the five-time world champions, with Matheus Cunha scoring twice within the opening 13 minutes to put Brazil firmly in control. Vinicius Junior then added a third goal to seal a comfortable victory for the Selecao and continue their impressive start to the competition.
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Having lost both of their opening matches, Haiti can no longer progress to the next round, bringing their World Cup journey to an early end.
Brazil’s victory lifted them to the top of Group C on goal difference, although the battle for first place remains open heading into the final round of group fixtures. The South Americans will face Scotland on Wednesday, while other results in the group will determine the final standings and qualification places.
With two rounds completed, Turkey and Haiti have become the first teams to see their World Cup dreams ended, while Paraguay and Brazil strengthened their positions in the race for the knockout stages.
