Former Newcastle United star Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off under FIFA's new covering-mouth rule as Paraguay secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Turkey in the World Cup. The 32-year-old received his marching orders during the first half of the Group D clash in San Francisco.
The Incident
The flashpoint occurred on the stroke of half-time when a melee erupted after a Turkey player attempted to pick up injured Isidro Pitta, despite referee Ivan Arcides Barton Cisneros having halted play. As officials separated the players, Almiron made a covering-mouth gesture while walking past Mert Muldur, who immediately alerted the assistant referee. The former Magpies midfielder was shown a red card, leaving Paraguay to defend their lead with ten men.
Almiron's Apology
Taking to Instagram, Almiron posted a picture of his teammates celebrating alongside a message that roughly translates to: "I want to thank the effort of my teammates today, leaving everything in each ball, thank you, thank you, thank you, a pride to be part of this selection." Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro confirmed that Almiron had apologized to the squad. "He apologised to the players for his mistake. He knew about the situation he had left his team-mates in with his actions," Alfaro said.
FIFA's New Rule
In the build-up to the World Cup, FIFA introduced a ruling stipulating that any player covering their mouth during a confrontational situation with an opponent could face a red card. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) held a special meeting in April where the amendment was approved for implementation at the tournament. Almiron's dismissal marked the first time the rule was enforced.
Match Impact
Matias Galarza's first-half goal proved decisive as Paraguay bounced back from a humiliating 4-0 defeat to co-hosts USA in their opening fixture. The win eliminated Turkey, ranked 22nd in the FIFA world rankings, from the competition. Paraguay now sit third in Group D due to an inferior goal difference, but victory in their final group match against Australia on June 26 would secure a place in the knockout stages.
Almiron will be suspended for that crucial fixture. Should Paraguay finish third, they will hope to claim one of the eight best third-placed spots to advance to the first knockout round.
