Paraguay defeats Turkey 1-0. The reason they held on with 10 men after a goal in the 64th second

Chapter 1: The landscape of the match changed in 64 seconds

It was before the clock even showed two minutes.

Paraguay stole the ball in the opponent's half.

From there, they played two one-touch passes.

The ball moved forward without hesitation and finally reached Matias Galarza.

About 24 meters from the goal.

Galarza swung his left foot.

The low, driving shot slipped between the Turkish players and into the bottom right corner of the goal.

64 seconds in.

Paraguay took the lead.

At this moment, it is the fastest goal of the tournament.

The transition from winning the ball to the shot was fast.

No one held the ball longer than necessary.

They completed the attack before the Turkish defense could recover.

The pattern Paraguay was aiming for resulted in a goal on their very first attack.

Chapter 2: The one-touch passes that created Galarza's shot

Galarza's long-range shot was magnificent.

However, the two one-touch passes that preceded it were also important.

A one-touch pass is a play where you send the ball to the next player without stopping it.

Because you don't trap the ball, the speed of the attack does not drop.

From the defensive side's perspective, the moment they close in on the ball, it has already been moved to the next location.

Turkey had just lost the ball, and their defensive positioning was not set.

Who would close in on Galarza?

Who would cut off the passing lane?

Before they could make that decision, the shot was taken.

Galarza also did not think for long after receiving the ball.

He placed it where he could hit it with his left foot and swung through immediately.

He aimed for the goal before the shooting lane could close.

Chapter 3: Galarza responds to being selected as a starter

Galarza was selected to start in this match.

For that player to score the winning goal right after the start is incredible.

For the manager, it is the best possible answer.

A long-range shot early in the game is not easy.

The body is not yet accustomed to the speed of the match.

It is a time when players are still feeling out the touch of the ball and the condition of the pitch.

Even so, Galarza did not hesitate.

The space to shoot was open.

So I took the shot.

That decisiveness brought Paraguay three points.

A good shot is not just a powerful one.

It is shooting before the opponent is set.

It is putting the ball where it is hard for the goalkeeper to see.

It is sending it to the corner of the goal.

Galarza's strike had all of that.

Chapter 4: Turkey counterattacks from set pieces

Turkey, having conceded immediately after kickoff, gradually pushed back.

Hakan Calhanoglu became the center of their attack.

Calhanoglu is a player who can deliver high-quality balls from free kicks and corner kicks.

35th minute.

Mert Muldur connects with Calhanoglu's free kick.

He gets in front of the opposing player and heads the ball.

However, the ball hit the post.

Just a few centimeters more.

It was Turkey's biggest chance of the first half.

In the 37th minute, Kenan Yildiz cut inside from the left and fired a shot with his right foot.

This was also blocked by the Paraguayan defense.

Turkey was getting closer to the goal.

However, at the final moment, Paraguay closed in and shut down the shooting lanes.

Chapter 5: Even when Yildiz dribbled, the center remained closed

Yildiz made numerous attempts from the left flank.

Advancing vertically.

Cutting inside.

Aiming for a shot himself.

He is a player who can make a difference for Turkey.

However, Paraguay had players positioned exactly where Yildiz would cut inside.

The first player would engage him.

If he looked like he might get past, a second player would come over to cover.

In front of the goal, the center-backs were waiting as well.

Even if Yildiz beat one player, there was another one waiting ahead.

Even when they couldn't win the ball outright, Paraguay narrowed the space available for a shot.

Even if he could advance with his dribbling, they wouldn't let him get a shot off in a good position.

That was their defensive approach in the first half.

Chapter 6: Just before the end of the first half, Paraguay was reduced to 10 men

First-half stoppage time.

A major event occurred for Paraguay.

Miguel Almirón made a gesture of covering his mouth during an argument.

In this tournament, this action is subject to a red card to prevent the concealment of discriminatory remarks or similar behavior.

Almirón was sent off.

Paraguay had to play the second half with 10 men.

Almirón is the centerpiece of their attack.

He can carry the ball.

He can also push forward on counterattacks.

Losing that player, and being one man down as well.

For Paraguay, the conditions of the match suddenly became much tougher.

There were still over 45 minutes left to defend their one-goal lead.

Chapter 7: Turkey, with the numerical advantage, kept on the attack

Turkey brought on Barış Alper Yılmaz at the start of the second half.

They increased their forward momentum and pinned back the 10-man Paraguay side.

In the 47th minute, Merih Demiral hit a knuckleball shot.

A minute later, Yildiz swung his left foot from the left side of the penalty area.

62nd minute.

Deniz Gul connected with a header from Yildiz's soft cross.

The shot was on target, but the Paraguay goalkeeper made a diving save.

Turkey is attacking.

They are also taking shots.

Even so, they cannot score a goal.

One reason is that Paraguay's defense had enough players in front of the goal.

Because they are one man down, they cannot chase the ball from the front.

Instead, they retreated to their own half and prioritized defending dangerous areas.

Chapter 8: Paraguay closed the center and forced them to attack from the outside

Reduced to 10 men, Paraguay solidified the center.

What they did not want Turkey to use was the area directly in front of the goal.

If they are allowed to face forward there, they can take shots or play through balls.

Paraguay kept the distance between players close and eliminated passing lanes to the center.

Turkey ended up moving the ball to the flanks.

Sending in crosses from the outside.

They pick up the loose ball and put it back in.

However, the Paraguayan defenders are waiting in front of the goal.

From a defensive standpoint, it is easier to deal with crosses coming from the outside than being broken down by intricate play through the middle.

You can see the direction of the ball.

You can also prepare to compete for it.

Paraguay did not completely stop Turkey's attack.

They simply limited the areas from which they could attack.

Chapter 9: More than 30 shots do not necessarily mean 30 scoring chances

Turkey took over 30 shots throughout the match.

Looking at the numbers alone, it was a one-sided game.

Even so, they scored zero goals.

Even if the number of shots is high, they are not all of equal value.

Shots taken from far away from the goal.

Shots taken while surrounded by defenders.

Shots taken while off balance.

Shots with almost no angle left.

These are relatively easy for a goalkeeper to handle.

What is truly dangerous is being left free in front of the goal and shooting from a good position.

Paraguay allowed shots.

However, in many situations, they closed down the Turkish players and did not let them shoot comfortably.

That is why there were not as many clear-cut chances as the numbers might suggest.

Chapter 10: The post saved Paraguay twice

In the first half, Turkey's Muldur hit the post with a header.

In the 82nd minute, Can Uzun's mid-range shot also hit the post.

Twice, they were just centimeters away from a goal.

It is not that the defending side had everything perfectly covered.

Paraguay also had some luck.

However, to turn that luck into a victory, they needed to maintain their concentration.

After hitting the post, they did not give the rebound to the opponent.

They tracked back for the next cross.

They also put their bodies in the path of shots again.

Defending does not end once you make a stop.

They reacted to the second and third balls.

Paraguay continued to do that until the very end.

Chapter 11: The biggest decisive chance for Turkey in the 89th minute

In the 89th minute, as the match neared its end.

Turkey sent a cross in from the right side.

The shot from Uzun was parried by the Paraguay goalkeeper.

The ball fell to Guler in front of the goal.

From point-blank range.

It was the closest Turkey came to an equalizer.

However, Guler's shot went just wide of the frame.

It was a moment where time seemed to stand still in the stadium.

Paraguay was saved.

Turkey could not find the goal until the very end.

Even if you take over 30 shots, if the most important one doesn't hit the target, it won't result in a goal.

It is cruel, but that is football.

Chapter 12: The counter-attacking potential left by Julio Enciso

Paraguay was not just defending.

When they won the ball, they moved forward with Julio Enciso as the starting point.

Because they were outnumbered, they could not send many players into the attack.

Even so, by Enciso carrying the ball, he forced the Turkish defenders to retreat to their own half.

This movement has great significance.

If Paraguay did not attack at all, Turkey could move everyone forward without worrying about defense.

However, as long as the possibility of a counterattack remained, Turkey also had to keep players back.

Even if it didn't lead to a goal, Enciso's forward movement helped the defense.

Chapter 13: Turkey could not change their way of attacking

Turkey sent in crosses from the flanks.

They also aimed for long-range shots.

They also increased the number of players in the front line.

Even so, they could not break down the center until the end.

When having a numerical advantage, the attacking side easily feels that a goal will come eventually.

They can hold the ball.

They can take shots.

The opponent does not come out of their own half.

However, the more they repeat the same attack, the more the defensive side gets used to dealing with it.

What Turkey needed were intricate pass exchanges in the center or players making runs from deep positions.

Players to send in crosses.

Players waiting in front of the goal.

Players to get in between them and move the opponent.

We wanted to draw Paraguay's defense out and open up the center.

The fact that we couldn't create that until the end led to us not scoring.

Chapter 14: Paraguay did not make a mistake in 'where to defend' with 10 men

Paraguay did not defend the entire pitch.

With 10 men, you cannot defend every area.

Therefore, they set priorities.

Close off the area directly in front of the goal.

Get numbers back into the penalty area.

Compete in the center against crosses.

Throw their bodies in front of shots.

When they won the ball, connect to Enciso to recover territory, even if just a little.

They accepted that Turkey would have possession.

They accepted that they would be passed around on the flanks.

In exchange, they would not let them easily use the area closest to the goal.

Paraguay did not make a mistake in where they needed to defend while shorthanded.

Chapter 15: Turkey eliminated after two consecutive losses

With this loss, Turkey has suffered two consecutive defeats.

With one matchday remaining, their elimination from the group stage has been confirmed.

Their final opponent is the United States, who have already secured the top spot.

Their elimination from the tournament is decided.

Even so, there is still a match left to play.

What can the young players leave behind on the World Cup stage?

How will they organize an attack that failed to score despite taking over 30 shots?

Where can they get Yildiz facing forward?

How can they turn Calhanoglu's kicks into goals?

It is not just about the result, but what they will take back to the next tournament that is being questioned.

Chapter 16: Paraguay heads to a showdown with Australia

Paraguay has earned 3 points.

In the final matchday, they will face Australia, who also have 3 points.

It is a direct confrontation with a spot in the group's second place on the line.

Against Turkey, they held onto their opening goal from the 64th second.

However, it is not guaranteed that the next match will unfold the same way.

This time, they will likely need time to control the ball themselves and aim for goals.

If Almiron is unable to play, who will take on the role of the center of the attack?

Where should the ball be passed to Enciso?

Can Galarza make a difference with another long-range shot?

This will be a match that tests not only defensive tenacity but also attacking structure.

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Chapter 17: One shot and over 30 shots

Paraguay's winning goal came in the 64th second.

Galarza's left foot.

A low, driving long-range shot.

They defended that lead until the very end.

Turkey took over 30 shots.

They also hit the post twice.

They even had clear-cut chances from close range.

Even so, the score was 0.

Soccer is not a sport that competes over time spent attacking.

It is not a sport that competes over the number of shots taken either.

In the end, it competes over the number of times the ball enters the goal.

That is precisely why Galarza's goal was so valuable.

And the Paraguayan defense that held out for the remaining time is worth just as much.

After going a man down, they narrowed down the areas they defended.

They closed off the center.

They cleared crosses from the outside.

In the end, they were also helped by the goalkeeper and the goalpost.

It was not a perfect victory.

However, bringing home three points in a difficult situation is crucial.

In the World Cup, this kind of victory carries a team to the next stage.

From just watching football to understanding and talking about it.

Leo Costa Football Analysis Room