San Francisco, June 18: Türkiye and Paraguay will be fighting to keep their FIFA World Cup hopes alive when they meet in a pivotal Group D encounter on Friday, with both teams seeking their first points of the tournament.
After opening defeats on matchday one, neither side can afford another setback. Paraguay suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to co-hosts United States, while Türkiye were stunned 2-0 by Australia despite dominating large portions of the game.Türkiye’s defeat was particularly frustrating given their attacking display. Vincenzo Montella’s men created numerous chances and registered 30 shots, one of the highest totals by a team failing to score in a World Cup match in recent decades. Real Madrid youngster Arda Guler was especially influential, accounting for eight of those attempts.Australia’s victory owed much to goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who produced a string of saves on his competitive international debut. (Agencies)
