Türkiye vs. Paraguay Match Preview

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·19 juin 2026

Türkiye vs. Paraguay Match Preview

Group D did not start the way Türkiye or Paraguay would have hoped. Despite being clear favorites to get a result against Australia, Türkiye couldn’t find a goal and ultimately lost 2-0. Paraguay suffered their worst World Cup loss since 1986 at the hands of host nation USA. Both nations now are in desperate need of a win in this matchup as it will likely be the best chance they have at getting a result.

Match Details

Who: Türkiye vs. ParaguayWhat: World Cup Group DWhere: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium), Santa Clara, CaliforniaWhen: Friday June 19, 11:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM PTWatch: FOX, Telemundo, Peacock ES, Fubo Sports

Vidéos OneFootball

Türkiye Looking To Bounce Back After Humbling

Last Saturday’s result was a wake-up call for Türkiye. Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu was very vocal in the buildup to the match and it came back to bite his team. He said to the media that he expected his side to “dominate the game” because they have “more qualities and a more talented team.” Needless to say, Australia took that personally. Türkiye struggled to break through the Aussie low block and were susceptible in transition, conceding twice. Çalhanoğlu doubled down on his comments after the game, saying that they only lost because of their own mistakes.

Türkiye suddenly find themselves in a situation where they really need a win against Paraguay. Although the USA could end up resting a few players when they face the Turks if they’ve already clinched the group, they’re still the toughest opponent Türkiye play in the group stage. Going into that match with anything less than three points would likely mean an early exit for Türkiye.

To get that win, they’ll need better performances from their stars in attack. Star man Arda Güler tried to take matters into his own hands against Australia but was left frustrated by the Aussie defense. Güler took a match-high eight shots but didn’t manage to test goalkeeper Patrick Beach all too much. The inclusion of Kenan Yıldız from the start could provide the needed boost. The Juventus man was dealing with an injury leading up to the Australia match and was only fit enough to come on at halftime. He was dangerous in the 45 minutes he played, taking the most touches (10) in the opposing box of any player. After another week of rest, Yıldız should be healthy enough to start against Paraguay.

Paraguay In Disarray After USA Embarrassment

Paraguay are in a very similar situation to Türkiye. After a pretty comprehensive loss to the USA in their opening match, they also likely need a win in this game if they want any chance of qualifying for the knockouts. Although they weren’t favorites against the USMNT, La Albirroja will still be disappointed with the outcome of the match. A team that had been a nightmare to play against in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying was unraveled in the first half, conceding three goals before halftime.

The defense was a strength of Paraguay before the World Cup. In qualifying, they conceded the joint second-fewest goals in South America, tied with Argentina and behind Ecuador. It was a different story in their World Cup opener, with the floodgates opening for the USA. Center back duo Omar Alderete and captain Gustavo Gómez will be key as Paraguay look to get back to their usual defensive level against Türkiye. Australia’s style of play could be an inspiration for manager Gustavo Alfaro as the Socceroos proved incredibly difficult to break down.

In attack, all eyes are on Julio Enciso. He suffered an injury just one week before Paraguay’s World Cup opener that looked as if it could end his tournament before it started. However, he made a quick recovery and played the full 90 in the 4-1 loss to the USA. Despite not being fully fit, Enciso was clearly Paraguay’s best player and provided the assist on their lone goal. He’ll need to be at his creative best as Paraguay look to be clinical on their chances in transition against Türkiye.

Match Prediction

Betting on Türkiye’s quality hasn’t gone well in the last several tournaments they’ve played in and the match against Australia was no exception. Even so, that defeat should motivate the Turks to put things right against the weakest team in the group. Paraguay will be determined to provide a better showing of themselves and it will be a close game, but the star power of Güler and Yıldız will prove too much for La Albirroja to handle.

Prediction: Türkiye 2-1 Paraguay