FIFA World Cup 2026: Football's cruel nature highlighted as Turkiye bow out of tournament with 0 goals in 62 shots
Santa Clara, June 20
Turkiye had one of the most heartbreaking FIFA World Cup campaigns by a team as they bowed out of the tournament without scoring any goals in the 62 shots they attempted.
A goal from Matias Galarza helped Paraguay seal a 1-0 win over Turkiye in Group D, securing three points and eliminating the European side from contention for the Round of 32.
Turkiye is still left with a fixture against the USA, scheduled for June 26. In their first fixture, they had faced a 2-0 loss to Australia.
As per Opta, Turkiye has so far attempted 62 shots at the goal, unable to find the back of the net even once. On the other hand, their opponents scored three goals with just 16 shots, highlighting the cruel nature of the sport.
Paraguay boosted their FIFA World Cup 2026 hopes with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Turkiye in Group D, securing three vital points and eliminating the European side from contention for the Round of 32.
The South Americans made a dream start at the San Francisco Bay Area venue, striking just 65 seconds after kick-off. A misplaced Turkish pass gifted possession to Paraguay, and Matias Galarza wasted no time in punishing the mistake.
Spotting space from distance, the midfielder unleashed a powerful effort that flew beyond goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakir to give Los Guaranies an early advantage.
Stunned by the setback, Turkiye gradually settled into the contest and began creating opportunities. Arda Guler fired over the bar in the 14th minute before Kenan Yildiz tested goalkeeper Orlando Gill with an ambitious bicycle kick.
The Turks came agonisingly close to an equaliser shortly after the half-hour mark when Mert Muldur's header from a free-kick rattled both the crossbar and the post before somehow staying out.
Paraguay remained dangerous on the counterattack, with Juan Jose Caceres forcing a fine save from Cakir. However, the game took a dramatic turn just before half-time when Miguel Almiron was shown a red card following an altercation with an opponent, leaving Paraguay to play the entire second half with 10 men.
Despite their numerical advantage, Turkiye struggled to find a breakthrough after the interval. Paraguay nearly doubled their lead when Julio Enciso cut inside from the right but dragged his shot wide. At the other end, substitute Deniz Gul headed straight at Gill from a promising position.
As the clock ticked down, Turkiye increased the pressure. Can Uzun sent one effort narrowly wide before squandering the visitors' best chance late in the match, shooting directly at Gill after a well-worked attacking move. Defender Merih Demiral also had an opportunity deep into stoppage time but headed off target.
The final whistle confirmed Paraguay's first win of the tournament and strengthened their chances of reaching the knockout stage. For Turkiye, a second consecutive defeat ended their World Cup dream, with their final group match against the United States now carrying only pride.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Living in India, I've seen my share of near-misses in football. This Turkiye stat is brutal - 62 shots with 0 goals. That's almost two full matches of shooting practice without reward. The crossbar and post hit by Muldur was just cruel. As someone who follows the Indian Super League, I can tell you it's not the quantity but quality that matters. Paraguay showed that with just 16 shots and 3 goals. Football is all about efficiency, abhi nahi toh kabhi nahi.
As an Indian who loves football, this gives me chills. Imagine the pressure on those Turkish players - they needed just one goal to ignite their campaign, but the football gods were never on their side. Arda Guler is such a talent, but even he couldn't convert. The red card to Almiron should have helped them, but they lacked the killer instinct. It reminds me of our own team's struggle in the 2023 Asian Cup where we had chances but couldn't finish. Tough game, but this is why football is called the beautiful game even when it's brutal. 🇹🇷💔
I'd like to respectfully point out that while Turkiye's finishing was poor, their persistence deserves credit. In a World Cup where teams like Australia and USA are progressing, seeing Turkiye fight till the end shows character. That said, 62 shots without a goal is a record that will haunt them for years. The Indian football community can relate - we've had our own "almost moments" in big tournaments. Hopefully, Turkiye can rebuild and come back stronger. The final match against USA is a chance at least for pride. 🤞
Oh bhai, this is heartbreaking! 62 shots and no goals is like us Indians trying to score in a cricket match and hitting only boundaries but getting run out every time. 😂 But seriously, Turkiye's midfield looked good with Guler and Y
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