BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK

Türkiye and Paraguay meet in a fascinating World Cup Group stage showdown, with both sides seeking to overcome historical trends.

Paraguay enter the match looking to improve a disappointing record against European opponents at the World Cup. The South Americans have managed only two victories in their last 14 World Cup encounters against teams from Europe, alongside five draws and seven defeats.

Türkiye, meanwhile, face South American opposition in the World Cup for the first time since their memorable campaign in 2002. On that occasion, they suffered two defeats to eventual champions Brazil, including one in the semi-finals.

The Turkish side will be hoping for a more favourable outcome this time as they continue their bid for a place in the knockout rounds.

Paraguay’s challenge will be to overcome a long-standing difficulty against European teams and secure a result that could prove decisive in the race for qualification.

With contrasting football traditions and styles set to collide, the match promises to be one of the more intriguing contests of the group phase.

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Iran are set to lodge an official complaint with FIFA over travel restrictions imposed by U.S. authorities during the 2026 World Cup, arguing that the measures have disrupted the team’s preparations and created unequal conditions compared to other participating nations.

The Iranian Football Federation announced on Friday that it would protest to football’s governing body after the national team was required to operate from its tournament base in Mexico and make short trips into the United States for its Group G matches.

Under the current arrangement, Iranian players and officials are only permitted to enter the United States within 24 hours of a match and must leave on the same day after playing, a situation that head coach Amir Ghalenoei described as making Iran the “most oppressed” team at the tournament.

“The Football Federation of Iran believes these restrictions are inconsistent with the principles of providing equal conditions for participating teams and may affect their technical preparation,” the federation said in a statement.

Neither FIFA nor the U.S. Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to requests for comment.

Iran have been forced to commute from Mexico because of uncertainty surrounding visa arrangements and the broader political tensions between Tehran and Washington.

According to the federation, the coaching staff had planned for the squad to arrive in host cities two days before each match and return to base the day after, a schedule they believed was necessary for optimal physical and tactical preparation.

“Under the coaching staff’s plan, the national team needed to travel to the host city two days before each match in order to achieve optimal technical and physical condition, and then return to their base the day after the match,” the federation said.

“However, for the opening match against New Zealand, this request was not approved.”

Ghalenoei suggested the travel disruption had already affected his side’s performance in Monday’s 2-2 draw against New Zealand, where Iran surrendered a lead and settled for a point in their tournament opener.

The complaint adds another layer of controversy to a World Cup being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with FIFA having repeatedly stressed that all qualified teams would be able to participate despite geopolitical tensions.

Iran, who are seeking a place in the knockout rounds, face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 before concluding their Group G campaign against Egypt in Seattle on June 27.

The outcome of FIFA’s response to Iran’s complaint could have implications for the team’s preparations as they attempt to advance beyond the group stage for the first time in their World Cup history.

BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER.

Canada recorded their first-ever victory at a FIFA World Cup finals in emphatic fashion on Thursday, thrashing nine-man Qatar 6-0 in front of a jubilant home crowd to boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

Jonathan David led the rout with a clinical hat-trick as the tournament co-hosts climbed to the top of Group B with four points from two matches. The victory, however, was tempered by an injury to influential midfielder Ismael Kone, who was stretchered off during the second half.

Backed by a passionate sea of red-and-white supporters, Canada took control early and never looked back. Coach Jesse Marsch’s decision to start Cyle Larin alongside the country’s all-time leading scorer David, paid immediate dividends.

Larin opened the scoring in the 16th minute when he reacted quickest to a rebound after Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada had parried David’s initial effort. The striker, who had scored as a substitute in Canada’s opening 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, justified his promotion to the starting lineup.

Canada doubled their lead in the 29th minute when David powered home a volley from a cross, further energising the 55,000-strong crowd.

Qatar’s hopes of mounting a comeback suffered a major setback shortly afterwards. Although a penalty awarded for El Amin’s challenge on Tajon Buchanan was overturned following a VAR review, the incident still resulted in Homam Ahmed’s yellow card being upgraded to a red card after officials determined the foul occurred outside the penalty area.

David struck again just before halftime, turning home from close range after Abunada had saved Larin’s header, giving Canada a commanding 3-0 lead at the break.

The match took another dramatic turn when Kone was injured following a challenge by Assim Madibo. The Canadian midfielder was carried off on a stretcher, while emotions boiled over among both teams. Madibo was subsequently shown a red card, reducing Qatar to nine men.

Despite concerns over Kone’s condition, there was relief when the 24-year-old was later seen sitting up and waving to supporters with his left leg protected in a large inflatable boot.

Substitute Nathan Saliba, who replaced Kone, paid tribute to his teammate by curling in a free kick for Canada’s fourth goal before celebrating by holding up Kone’s shirt.

Qatar’s miserable evening worsened when midfielder Mohammad Mannai turned the ball into his own net, making it 5-0, before David completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time to seal a memorable victory.

At the final whistle, Marsch celebrated passionately with the crowd, pumping his fists toward the stands as Canada delivered one of the most impressive performances in the nation’s football history. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was among those in attendance.

“We wanted to play the kind of football that would electrify the crowd. We wanted to showcase the kind of talent, the mentality that we have,” Marsch said after the match.

“There is going to be 40 million Canadians who claim they were in the stadium today. But these 55,000 were lucky.”

The Canada coach also offered an encouraging update on Kone’s injury.

“Ismael will be fine. We will get him good doctors — we’ll get him back. Obviously, our heart is with him, but that kid has got a big future, and he’s a big part of everything we do.”

The result leaves Canada and Switzerland level on four points ahead of their crucial Group B showdown in Vancouver next Wednesday, with the Canadians leading the group on goal difference.

For Qatar, who remain bottom of the group with one point, the defeat leaves their World Cup campaign hanging by a thread. Coach Julen Lopetegui vowed his side would regroup despite losing two players to suspension.

“We have two red cards, so those players are out for the next match,” Lopetegui said. “There is a big difference between the teams, and the next match will be more difficult. But we are not here because someone gave us a place. We are here because we earned it, and we will play and fight until the end.”

Qatar will attempt to revive their hopes when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle, while Canada seek to build on their historic breakthrough against Switzerland.

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