
Turkey and Paraguay Clash in a Do‑Or‑Die World Cup Showdown
Turkey and Paraguay each need a win in Santa Clara to keep their World Cup hopes alive after opening defeats.
Jun 18, 2026
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Turkey and Paraguay each need a win in Santa Clara to keep their World Cup hopes alive after opening defeats.

In a surprising lineup change, Australia’s manager Tony Popovic started 22‑year‑old goalkeeper Patrick Beach against Turkey, where the youngster’s eight saves preserved a clean sheet and handed the Socceroos a pivotal win in Group D.

A friendly between Venezuela and Turkey is set for Saturday at Chase Stadium, marking the first meeting between the two sides on short notice as both nations fine‑tune their squads ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.