After eliminating Turkey from the World Cup, Paraguay must win this match against Australia to avoid elimination.
While Australia just needs to walk away with a draw, Paraguay need a little bit more to see themselves through to the knockouts.
Australia and Paraguay both found themselves in a winning position against Turkey, despite Paraguay being one man down due to FIFA’s new red-card rule.
Paraguay's coach Gustavo Alfaro tells the media his team will prove they are worthy against Australia.
"Being less for us means being more. We may eventually be less than all the teams playing here in the World Cup, but we don't feel less, we feel that if we're all together, we can somehow be more."
Paraguay’s match against Turkey saw Miguel Almiron leaving the field, following a historic red card for covering his mouth during an on-field confrontation.
While Almiron was understandably disheartened. Alfaro assures the media that this is where Paraguay's fight was born.
"The first thing I told him when he came into the dressing room was, 'change that face, we won, don't feel guilty about anything. What happened brought out even more of your teammates' fighting spirit."
No mercy shown
Socceroos Jackson Irvine showed no mercy when asked about the red card rules.
“If you’re saying something to someone that you don’t want to be seen, then I think it’s safe to say that if you can’t be seen saying it, then it shouldn’t be said,” he said. “For me, it’s a clear line on the rule, and we were all told about it, so it is what it is.”
Alfaro on football's turn
It is clear Paraguay do not want to be labelled as the ‘underdogs’ coming into this clash, and will do what it takes to ensure they secure a spot in the knockouts. Despite a heavy focus on match officials in the lead-up, as Alfaro criticised the turn football has taken.
"The essence of football is lost. And football can't be a business, it has to be football... a very select group get to enjoy it."
Alfaro stood strong in his stance. “Let’s not become slaves to the rulebook.” Before mentioning, the whole team would be there to back Almiron.
“But it happened. That’s it. We’re here to support him, to carry him, to push him.”
Paraguay hopes to put this fiasco behind them and focus instead on taking their country through to the knockouts.
This will all be decided at 10 pm ET as both teams fight to stay in World Cup contention.
