Paraguay, Turkey set for surprise World Cup survival match in Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA – The most talented teams the Bay Area will see in the World Cup group stage will bring equal parts offensive stardom and remarkable desperation to Levi’s Stadium on Friday when Turkey and Paraguay kick off.

It is a must-win match for two teams that entered the tournament as favorites to advance to the knockout round in Group D.

Things did not go according to script in the first week.

Turkey lost 2-0 to the Oakland-based Australian team in its opener, unable to generate a goal in a game for the first time since a loss to tournament favorite Spain in qualifying last September..

Meanwhile, Paraguay fell 4-1 to the high-octane U.S. team in its first match, with Maurício being the only offensive bright spot for the South Americans.

Now, the loser of Friday’s match is all but eliminated from advancing to the knockout stage.

“We need to work fast, understand the mistakes we made, and try to reposition ourselves,” Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said after the loss to the U.S team. “We have to keep moving forward.”

Do not expect a scoreless draw in Santa Clara.

Turkey has arguably the top young player in the tournament leading the way.

Midfielder Arda Güler, 21, is already a star for Spanish superpower Real Madrid, establishing himself as a deft passer who creates opportunities few in the world can see.

Güler is not the only youngster anchoring the Turkish attack. Kenan Yildiz deftly plays the forward spot, the same position where he scored 11 goals for Italian power Juventus during the Serie A season as another 21-year-old.

Giving them support will be veterans Kerem Akturkoglu and Baris Alper Yilmaz, who each just completed domestic seasons in the Turkish League.

Turkey entered the World Cup as a dark horse candidate to advance deep in the tournament, something it did in 2002 when it finished third.

But the nation has not made a World Cup since, and had to survive through a European playoff to qualify for this year’s tournament. Now, the nation is fighting for its life in the tournament.

All is not lost; there are still two games to play, and I’m confident,”Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said. “We’re disappointed with the result, but there’s time to move on. We have to stay positive.”

Paraguay, which has trained at San Jose State, is headlined by its attacking duo of winger Miguel Almirón and midfielder Julio Enciso.

Almiron has been one of the top players in Major League Soccer for years, carving out a stellar career with Atlanta United, while Enciso is considered an up-and-coming star with French side RC Strasbourg.

Both will need to produce chances and goals if their team is to advance, but Paraguay also needs defenders Gustavo Gomez and Fabian Balbuena to play at a higher level than they did against the United States if Paraguay is to have a chance against Güler and Co.

The Paraguayan defense was under fire early and often from the U.S., allowing three goals in the first half including an own goal in the seventh minute. Meanwhile, Turkey dominated possession, outpassing the Australians 635-201 last Saturday night in Vancouver, as the Socceroos counterattacked.

While Turkey’s 72% possession wasn’t particularly threatening, with just 1.36 expected goals from, last weekend’s games do suggest much of this match will be played in the Paraguayan half of the field.

Turkey’s final group stage game will be against the United States, while Paraguay will play Australia.

“As long as we have one minute left, we will keep fighting to qualify,” Alfaro said.