Türkiye focused on Paraguay win after World Cup opening defeat to Australia
Türkiye's national team is focused on securing a crucial victory against Paraguay in its second Group D match as it seeks to recover from an opening defeat to Australia. Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır said "the first match was not a final" and the team still has six points to play for.
Türkiye's national team is focused on securing a crucial victory against Paraguay in its second Group D match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as it seeks to recover from an opening defeat to Australia. "We still have six points to play for. The first of those matches is against Paraguay, and we want to win that game and take the three points," goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır told reporters at Türkiye's training camp in Arizona.
Recovery mindset
His remarks came after Australia upset Türkiye 2-0 with methodical defense and counter-attacks. "The first match was not a final. We still have two games ahead of us. It's not over until we say it's over," Çakır said. He added that the team had analyzed its mistakes and was determined to deliver a stronger performance.
Team unity
Defender Samet Akaydin echoed his teammate's confidence, saying the defeat had united the squad rather than divided it. "I have great faith in this team. We are constantly meeting and discussing what happened...but hopefully we will make up for it against Paraguay," Akaydin said. He urged supporters to continue backing the team, noting Türkiye had reached the World Cup for the first time in 24 years.
Upcoming matches
The Crescent-Stars are scheduled to face Paraguay on June 19 before taking on co-host nation the US on June 25. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, began on June 11 and will feature 48 nations through July 19.
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