FIFA World Cup 2026, Group D, Matchday 2
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California | Friday, June 19, 2026 | 11:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM PT
Watch in Canada: TSN (Bell Media)
Turkey and Paraguay arrive at Levi’s Stadium with the same urgent problem: both need points, and fast. After opening-round defeats, the margin for error is close to gone, and the side that loses here will be on the brink of an early exit.
Group D has already taken shape at the top, with the United States and Australia collecting three points each. That leaves Turkey and Paraguay staring at a match they simply cannot afford to lose. A draw would technically keep both alive, but only barely.
Turkey need a response
Turkey’s return to the World Cup has been followed by a harsh reality check. Their 2-0 loss to Australia exposed a team that controlled spells of possession but struggled to turn territory into real danger. For Vincenzo Montella, the issue is not talent. It is whether that talent can be turned into goals under pressure.
Arda Güler remains the most obvious creator, while Kenan Yıldız offers direct running and one-on-one quality. Hakan Çalhanoğlu brings experience, calm, and dead-ball danger from midfield. On paper, that is enough attacking quality to hurt most teams. Against Australia, however, Turkey lacked the final pass and the decisive touch.
This is the kind of game that can define a tournament. Turkey have not been at the World Cup since 2002, so the stakes are obvious. Another flat performance would put their long-awaited return in immediate danger.
Paraguay must tighten up
Paraguay also opened with a defeat, and theirs was far more damaging on the scoreboard. The 4-1 loss to the United States was a rough night for Gustavo Alfaro’s side, especially after a qualifying campaign built on discipline, resistance, and the ability to make games ugly for opponents.
That identity disappeared in Los Angeles. Paraguay were stretched, outpaced, and punished repeatedly. If they are to stay alive in this group, they need a much cleaner defensive showing and far more control in midfield.
Julio Enciso is still the player most likely to create something unexpected, while Miguel Almirón adds experience and tireless running. Andres Cubas is important as a ball-winner and organizer, especially in a match where Paraguay may spend long stretches without possession. Gustavo Gómez remains the defensive anchor, but he needs help around him if Paraguay are to avoid another heavy night.
Canadian fans will have a familiar name in the mix as well, since Cubas plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps at club level. That adds a local angle to a match that already has plenty at stake.
What decides the match
The main question is simple: can Turkey make their technical edge count before Paraguay settle into a compact shape? Turkey should have more of the ball, but possession alone will not be enough unless it is faster and more purposeful than it was against Australia.
Paraguay’s best path is to absorb pressure, stay organized, and look for moments in transition. If Enciso can find space between the lines, Turkey could be forced into mistakes. If not, Paraguay may spend the evening defending deeper and deeper.
Set pieces may matter more than open play. Çalhanoğlu’s delivery gives Turkey a real weapon, and Paraguay will need strong defending in their own box to avoid giving away the kind of cheap chance that can decide a tight game.
Prediction
Turkey enter with more attacking quality and a greater need to respond, and that combination is usually decisive in a match like this. Paraguay can make it awkward, but their opener suggested they remain vulnerable when faced with pace and movement.
Expect a tighter contest than the scorelines from Matchday 1, but Turkey should still find a way through if Güler and Yıldız receive the ball in advanced areas. Paraguay can score, yet their margin for defensive error looks too thin.
Prediction: Turkey 2-1 Paraguay
Turkey should strike first, Paraguay may answer, and the match could stay tense until late. Still, the Crescent-Stars look more likely to leave with the win and keep their knockout hopes alive.
Kickoff is set for 11:00 PM ET on TSN. On the West Coast, that is an 8:00 PM PT start in Santa Clara.
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