21/06/2026

theSun on Sunday JUNE 21, 2026

2026 WORLD CUP

SPORTS 13

Paraguay save skins with win over eliminated Turkiye TEN-MAN Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive yesterday with a historic, fei sty 1-0 victory over Turkiye, a result that also guaranteed co-hosts the United States top spot in Group D. directing an exchange at Turkiye’s Mert Muldur. second half but lacked a clinical edge. Their best chance fell to Deniz Gul in the 88th minute, but the forward stabbed

said. “We had the numerical advantage, we had the chances, but we panicked in front of goal. “To concede after one minute ruined our entire tactical plan.” Paraguay now face a must-win final group game to join the USA in the knockout rounds. ”We fought for every blade of grass,” goalscorer Galarza said. “When Miguel was sent off, we promised each other we would run double for him. This victory belongs to the spirit of Paraguay.” – Agencies

It is the first time in tournament history a player has received a red card for the gesture, under strict new Fifa guide lines targeting hidden dissent. ”We knew the rules coming into the tournament,” Paraguay manager Gustavo Alfaro said after the match. “Miguel made a mistake, but the bravery this team showed to defend that lead for 50 minutes with 10 men was heroic. We are still alive.” Turkiye dominated possession in the

wide after Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill parried an initial shot. In stoppage time, Merih Demiral glanced a header wide, leaving the Turkish players in tears at the final whis tle. The defeat confirms Turkiye’s elimina tion from the tournament, joining Haiti as the earliest casualties. ”It is a cruel way to go out,” a devas tated Turkiye captain Hakan Calhanoglu

Socceroos down but not out A DEFIANT Australia vowed to bounce back from a cruel 2-0 defeat to the United States yester day, after a wicked own goal and a controversial VAR review left the Socceroos facing a must-win Group D finale. The Australians, who opened their World Cup campaign with a win over Turkiye, were left frus trated in front of a hostile crowd at the Seattle Stadium. The hosts took the lead in the 11th minute when a Folarin Balogun cross deflected heavily off Australian defender Cameron Burgess into his own net. The disaster compounded just before half time when Alex Freeman’s header was ruled valid by VAR after initially being flagged offside. “It is a tough pill to swallow,” a devastated Burgess said. “The own goal was pure bad luck. I tried to clear the danger, but it just spun off my boot the wrong way. “We gave everything out there, but when luck is not with you, it is a cruel game.” The Socceroos had entered the match fueled by pre-tournament American media commentary that dismissively labeled the Australian squad a “layup” for the co-hosts. “We heard what they said about us before the tournament, and we wanted to prove we belong on this stage,” said Australia captain Mathew Ryan. “The VAR decision on the sec ond goal took the wind out of our sails just before the break. We fought back hard in the second half, but we just could not find that clinical edge in the final third.” The defeat means Tony Popovic’s side must now beat Paraguay in their final group match on Thursday to guarantee a spot in the Round of 32. “We knew we wanted to earn our respect here, and while we did not get the result, no one can question our fight,” Popovic said. “The own goal and the VAR call hurt us deeply, but I am proud of how the boys responded. We do not have time to feel sorry for ourselves. Our World Cup is still very much alive.” – Agencies Midfielder Matias Galarza scored the only goal after just 63 seconds, squeez ing a low, long-range shot past Turkiye goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir. However, the contest will be remem bered for a bizarre piece of World Cup history just before halftime. Paraguay playmaker Miguel Almiron was sent off for covering his mouth while

USA players applaud their fans after defeating Australia yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

‘Livin’ on a Prayer’

Pochettino backs ‘high IQ’ USA players to block out World Cup hype U S COACH Mauricio Pochettino backed his “high IQ” players not to get carried away after with yesterday’s win over Australia and sent fans’ hopes soaring. Thanks to an own goal and an ager said he trusts his team not to treat next week’s Turkey clash any differently. “We need to go for the next making changes to his team for the Turkiye clash. “We had a lot of fatigued bod ies in the first half both physically and mentally,” he said. “I think it’s too early to talk about our decision against they secured progress to the World Cup knock

one. To be sure that we are going to arrive in good condition, like we arrived in the last two games,” said Pochettino. His players and staff need to “keep being very tough with ourselves, to push to be better and better every day,” he added. Pochettino, whose stellar career includes leading Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final and managing the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar at Paris Saint Germain, said his players have the footballing nous to not let standards slip. “That is part of being

Alex Freeman header, the US have reached the last-32 of the tournament they are co-hosting with a game to spare, winning two group matches for the first time since 1930. The already-surging hype sur rounding the US team’s prospects

Turkey… If we want to win and we want to be one of the good teams, dreaming big, I think we need to talk about the team and not the (individual) names.” As his players took a victory lap around the field, the fans sang along to Livin’ on a Prayer, and many will now be dreaming of a deep run into the World Cup that would defy most pundits’ expectations in a tournament stacked with favorites like Spain, France and Argentina. Pochettino himself has dared fans to dream of winning the World Cup, repeatedly asking “Why not us?” in press confer ences. The Argentinian coach paid tribute to yesterday’s crowd, com paring it to the football-mad country of his birth. “Amazing. I was saying yester day Argentina have amazing fans but I think we are matching Argentina,” he said. “Our fans, I’m so happy for them.” – AFP

outs

among the American public sky-rocketed following the 2-0 win over the Socceroos in front of a jubilant crowd in Seattle. Pochettino’s team secured top spot in Group D after 10

man Paraguay beat Turkiye 1 0, but the man

intelligent… For me, the IQ of the players that I have in my squad, they are so high over the average,” he said. But Pochettino did not rule out

Mauricio Pochettino