For the second Serie A game in a row, Inter came back from 2-0 down to win, this time crushing Udinese 5-3 in a chaotic encounter at San Siro.
The Nerazzurri had a perfect start in Serie A thanks to a comeback from 2-0 down to beat Napoli 3-2, but lost their Champions League opener 2-1 to Real Madrid this week following some costly individual errors.
Cristian Chivu rotated, giving John Stones his first start, but resting Lautaro Martinez, Yann Bisseck and Hakan Calhanoglu, along with not fully fit Federico Dimarco and injured Djed Spence. The Friulani had an injury crisis, missing Oumar Solet, Nicolò Zaniolo, Juan Arizala, Matteo Palma and Jakub Piotrowski, the Poland international undergoing surgery today to correct a benign cardiac arrhythmia.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: James Abankwah of Udinese Calcio celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

#serie #udinese #italy #start

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): 1 Courtois; 24 Dumfries, 16 Konaté, 4 Huijsen, 17 Cucurella; 12 Alexander-Arnold, 8 Valverde, 5 Bellingham; 21 Diaz, 10 Mbappé, 7 Vinicius.
Substitutes: 13 Lunin, 26 Sergio Mestre, 9 Endrick, 14 Tchouameni, 18 Carreras, 19 Carlos Espi, 22 Rudiger, 25 Diomandé, 27 Thiago Pitarch, 29 Jorge Cestero, 33 Mario Rivas.
Coach: José Mourinho.
INTER (3-5-2): 1 J. Martinez; 28 Pavard, 31 Bisseck, 95 Bastoni; 17 Diouf, 23 Barella, 20 Calhanoglu, 21 Jones, 30 Carlos Augusto; 9 Thuram, 10 Lautaro.

#konat #huijsen

Real Madrid host Inter Milan in the opening game of the Champions League's Group Stage. Los Blancos are coming off a disappointing loss against Betis, so bouncing back tonight would improve the team's confidence and momentum.
Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Bellingham; Brahim, Diomande, Vinicius; Mbappé.
Inter Milan predicted XI: Martínez; Bisseck, Stones, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Jones, Carlos Ausgusto; Lautaro, Thuram.
Mourinho will have to rebuild his midfield line given that Güler, Camavinga and Bernardo Silva are all out. Bellingham will likely be deployed alongside Valverde in the double pivot, with Brahim and Diomande playing in the attacking line.
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

#madrid #brahim #diomande

The Serie A weekend is now over, and with today's two matches, the third round of the league will be as well. We are still only in the very early stages of this season, but a few verdicts have already come in.
Watch the entire Serie BKT live with LaB Channel on OneFootball: subscribe for just €9.99 a month!
We know, for example, that as predicted, Inter are still the team to beat. It was already clear on paper, but the pitch has confirmed it. Three wins from three matches - nothing extraordinary so far - plus the icing on the cake of that crazy comeback against Napoli: an exciting run, top of the table alongside Roma, and the feeling, this time for real, of having not quite two full teams but at least plenty of quality alternatives available.
Against the Azzurri, Chivu called on Thuram, Curtis Jones, Carlos Augusto, Çalhanoglu and Bonny from the bench, managing to turn around the 0-2 lead Allegri had built. Just a few days before their Champions League opener, the Romanian coach allowed himself the luxury of rotation against the runners-up of Italy, and still came away with three points (however hard-fought they were).
This opening stretch of Serie A has also told us that the two genuine challengers to Inter in the Scudetto race seem to be Roma and Como, with Juve and Milan still in the midst of a full revamp and a Napoli side that is changing its identity and already sits 6 points off the top.

#three #Inter #napoli #league

Inter completed an extraordinary comeback from 2-0 down to beat Napoli 3-2 with a Lautaro Martinez double and Marcus Thuram, sealing a true thriller at San Siro.
The top two in each of the last two seasons faced off, though the Nerazzurri had started stronger with victories over Monza and Cagliari. Marcus Thuram was still not fully fit and Djed Spence working his way back from injury, with John Stones and Hakan Calhanoglu rested ahead of the Champions League trip to Real Madrid.
Max Allegri had a rough week, losing at home to Como, then Scott McTominay and Giovane both required surgery, with Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci already long-term absentees. Antonio Vergara was preferred to Kevin De Bruyne due to match fitness.
Napoli were unbeaten against Inter since the Supercoppa Italiana Final in January 2024, managing one win and four draws going into this test.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

#marcus

Hakan Calhanoglu and Inter have decided to play out the final year of his deal without discussing an extension this summer, which has been free of transfer market-related tribulations, unlike the previous ones.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the decision came more from the team than the player. The Nerazzurri don't question his quality but want to see how he holds up physically. He was productive but fragile last year. He missed nearly half of the matches because of a few different injuries.
Calhanoglu has flirted a few times with Galatasaray and could indeed head to Turkey after his time with Inter is over. However, if this campaign goes well, a renewal wouldn't be out of the question. The 'regista' remains central in Christian Chivu's plans. Piotr Zielinski has filled in nicely in the role last year, and the gaffer is trying to turn Aleksandar Stankovic into a deep-lying playmaker, but the 32-year-old is by far the top option when healthy.
The manager is a big fan of the midfielder. He significantly helped ease tensions in the locker room after his past sagas. In particular, the veteran had more than one foot out the door after the Club World Cup. He even quarreled with some teammates, but then the situation was eventually resolved.
It'd be strange if things were already decided with a year to go; otherwise, the Nerazzurri would have probably considered a sale, even though it wouldn't have fetched enough to acquire a worthy replacement. It'll also depend on his demands, as his salary is robust. Injuries have indeed become a problem, but he has a few more good campaigns in him in a part-time role.

#nerazzurri #injuries #decided

A special day as Inter returned to San Siro and reunited with their fans after almost three months, kicking off the new Nerazzurri season with victory over Monza.
Four goals, three points, endless love: a night of celebration packed with emotion and unforgettable moments, from Çalhanoğlu's thunderbolt that opened Inter's 2026/27 Serie A campaign to Pio Esposito's backheel and the debuts of John Stones and Aleksandar Stanković.
Relive the match with our exclusive content!

#serie #stones

Inter started their Serie A season in style with a 4-1 statement victory over newly-promoted Monza at the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday evening, and whilst Pio Esposito and Andy Diouf earned plaudits for their performances on the pitch, new signing Djed Spence is also making headlines in Italy before even making his first appearance for the Nerazzurri.
Inter set the pace for the rest of the division to match with their 4-1 victory over Monza on Saturday night, which has sent them straight to the top of the league table after the first four matches of the opening weekend: Hakan Calhanoglu, Piotr Zielinski, Esposito and Yann Bisseck provided the goals on the night.
MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Francesco Pio Esposito of Internazionale celebrates scoring his team's third goal with teammates during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Encouragingly for Cristian Chivu, he still has several of his new summer signings to add into the mix: John Stones was only introduced as a late substitute and fellow Premier League recruits Spence and Curtis Jones were not even in the matchday squad.
Spence was in attendance to watch his new teammates earn victory on Saturday evening, and has caught the eye of fans across social media for his striking touchline attire.

#spence #victory #giuseppe #meazza

Yann Bisseck and Andy Diouf both played key roles in Inter's victory over Monza. The French winger provided the ***** ist for Calhanoglu's opener and for Pio Esposito's backheel finish, which made it 3-1. Bisseck put the result beyond doubt with a powerful run through the middle before finishing with his left foot to make it 4-1. Diouf and Bonny shared their thoughts on the Nerazzurri's victory, which saw them pick up their first three points of the season in front of a packed and electric San Siro.

#diouf

Italy international Francesco Pio Esposito got in on the act with a superb flick as Inter began their Serie A ******* le defence with a statement 4-1 victory over newly-promoted Monza on Saturday evening.
The reigning Serie A and Coppa Italia champions began their 2026-27 campaign with a visit from Ivan Juric and his newly-promoted Monza side in San Siro on Saturday evening.
The teams went in for the interval level at 1-1 after a Hakan Calhanoglu screamer and a well-taken equaliser from Gustavo Varela half an hour in. The Nerazzurri struck back with three goals within 20 minutes of the start of the second half, courtesy of Piotr Zielinski, Esposito and Yann Bisseck.
MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Hakan Calhanoglu of Internazionale celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Esposito's goal was particularly pleasing to watch, positioning himself well on the corner of the six-yard box, where he was able to flick out a foot and put a well-improvised finish onto Andy Diouf's low cross into the area.

#well #hakan #calhanoglu #Milan

MILAN (AP) — Cristian Chivu's brand of brotherly love could be just what Serie A champion Inter Milan needs to dominate Italian soccer again this season.
More than a few eyebrows were raised when the inexperienced Chivu was hired last year to replace Simone Inzaghi as Inter coach. The Nerazzurri were fresh off a 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain in the most lopsided Champions League final in history.
"Everyone was thinking that Inter was, let's say dying, after what happened," Inter midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu said in a recent interview with beIN Sports Australia.
Chivu had only ever overseen 13 matches in Serie A but his fresh approach as a coach and new ideas reinvigorated Inter as he steered the Nerazzurri to the Italian league and cup double.
Moreover, the 45-year-old Chivu's closeness to the players has pulled the team even more together.

#chivu

Inter will welcome their only target for the midfield before the opener, as they have reached an agreement with Liverpool to acquire Curtis Jones. They have been courting him since the beginning of the summer. While he was immediately keen on joining, concocting the deal took some work, La Gazzetta dello Sport relays.
In the end, the Reds lowered their demands a little. The Englishman is transferring for €30M, plus €5M add-ons and a 10 percent sell-on clause. He'll sign a five-year contract and make about €4M annually.
Jones is the third player signed by Inter coming from the Premier League this summer after John Stones and Djed Spence. Liverpool ultimately granted a small discount to avoid a Bosman departure in a year. The midfielder seemingly only wanted to head to San Siro.
Christian Chivu was one of the main proponents of the deal. He believes the newcomer will be able to play in multiple positions and bring something different to the table. The Nerazzurri also had to move Davide Frattesi to make room.
They might have some sort of cap when it comes to fees and total packages. It's basically the same operation they devised for Spence. They waited patiently for the sellers to get to their numbers, and not the other way around, after convincing the players, which is a testament to their appeal. They'll be a little overcrowded for a season. However, after all, Hakan Calhanoglu, Piotr Zielinski, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan aren't getting any younger. They were almost irrationally fixated on him, considering his role and what he showed in recent years, so they must have a pretty good plan to make him thrive.

#deal

JUVENTUS (4-3-3): 16 Di Gregorio; 15 Kalulu, 3 Bremer, 6 Kelly, 27 Cambiaso; 12 Douglas Luiz, 5 Locatelli, 22 McKennie; 11 Zhegrova, 30 David, 10 Yildiz.Subs.: 1 Perin, 23 Pinsoglio, 42 Nava, 2 Celik, 7 Conceicao, 8 Koopmeiners, 9 Kolo Muani, 13 Boga, 14 Milik, 17 Alajbegovic, 21 Miretti, 24 Rugani, 29 Arthur, 32 Cabal, 41 Owusu, 43 Puche, 45 Oboavwoduo, 46 Licina, 47 Durmisi.Coach: Luciano Spalletti.
INTER (3-5-2): 49 Provedel; 28 Pavard, 46 Bovio, 95 Bastoni; 11 Luis Henrique, 23 Barella, 20 Calhanoglu, 22 Mkhitaryan, 32 Dimarco; 94 Esposito, 14 Bonny.Subs.: 1 Martinez, 12 Di Gennaro, 5 Stankovic, 7 Zielinski, 16 Frattesi, 17 Diouf, 30 Carlos Augusto, 31 Bisseck, 48 Mosconi, 52 Iddrissou, 53 Lavelli, 54 Marello, 56 Maye, 58 Topalovic, 60 Farronato.Coach: Cristian Chivu.
Referee: Tim Danaskos.Linesmen: Brad Wright - Andrew Meimarakis.Fourth official: Liam Barclay.
The Derby d'Italia will bring the Internazionale Summer Tour to a close, with Inter taking on Juventus in the second friendly scheduled in Perth and the final match of the Italian champions' Asian tour before returning to Milano.
Chivu's side will face the Bianconeri at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday 8 August at 19:00 local time (13:00 CEST).

#subs #Perth #gregorio

Hakan Çalhanoğlu has reiterated his commitment to Inter, brushing aside links to Turkey and setting his sights on reaching another Champions League final.
With quotes via calciomercato.com, the midfielder made clear his happiness in Milan, where he says he and his family have settled fully.
"I'm happy to be here, in Milan, where my wife and I have integrated brilliantly, and at Inter," he said.
"The future doesn't depend on me, but on the club, because there hasn't been any contact over the renewal. I'm a footballer and I think about playing. But in five years I think we've done a lot of good things: eight trophies, two Champions League finals."
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

#Inter #champions #april #think

Italy's front pages on Saturday are given over to a trio of big exclusive interviews, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Cesc Fabregas and Weston McKennie all taking centre stage, set against the "Derby d'Italia" friendly between Juventus and Inter in Perth.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Çalhanoğlu has firmly committed his future to Inter. "I want only Inter," runs the headline, with the Turkey midfielder dismissing links to his homeland, "Forget Turkey, I'm staying here", and declaring the Nerazzurri can go all the way in the Champions League, while awaiting the club's call over a new contract. His stance follows the collapse of Galatasaray's long-running interest.
Corriere dello Sport, meanwhile, leads on Cesc Fabregas, who hails Inter as the benchmark of Serie A.
"The peak is Inter," the Como coach declares, praising Lautaro Martínez as the league's finest, "I'd buy him in Fantasy football", and likening his own Nico Paz to Kaká, as he sets out the "Como model" and his Champions League ambitions.
Tuttosport gives its front page to Weston McKennie, under the headline "Juve forever."

#cesc #weston #turkey #como

PERTH – The love for the Nerazzurri colors knows no boundaries. It travels across the world, reaching different people and cultures, all eager for moments like the one held in Perth to give back to the team the affection and emotions they experience while following Inter.
In the capital of Western Australia, which is hosting the Nerazzurri for the second leg of the Internazionale Summer Tour, an exciting Meet & Greet took place, bringing together around 50 members from the four Australian Inter Clubs — Inter Club Sydney, Inter Club Melbourne Victoria, Inter Club Adelaide, and Inter Club Perth — along with a delegation of members from Indonesian Inter Clubs, all sharing a special moment in close contact with the team.
Members had the chance to meet Federico Dimarco, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Luis Henrique and Ivan Provedel during this exclusive event, collecting photos, autographs, and smiles in an atmosphere filled with enthusiasm and participation, creating unique and unforgettable memories.
An event that once again highlighted the passion that follows Inter to every corner of the globe: the affection shown in Perth by Inter Club members and fans who are painting the city in Nerazzurri colors confirms, yet again, the strength of the great Inter family worldwide.

#Inter

AC Milan's Serie A campaign begins on 23 August, with an away trip to face Ignazio Abate's Torino. One curious statistic links the Rossoneri's last three league visits to Turin: each match featured a penalty. Yet AC Milan only came away victorious when the spot-kick was awarded to the opposition, in one of football's many quirks. The sequence began in February 2025. Torino took the lead through an own goal before referee Simone Sozza awarded AC Milan a first-half penalty. Christian Pulisic stepped up, but Milinković-Savić produced an excellent save. Despite creating numerous chances and eventually finding an equaliser, the Rossoneri ultimately fell to a 2-1 defeat.
A different outcome followed a few months later, in early October 2025, when referee Marco Guida pointed to the spot during Juventus vs AC Milan with the score still goalless. Once again, Pulisic took the penalty, but his effort drifted narrowly wide, and the match finished 0-0. Two months later, it was back to Turin once more. Early in the game between Torino and AC Milan, referee Chiffi awarded a penalty to the hosts. Vlašić converted to give Torino the lead, but after a dramatic and eventful contest, the Rossoneri fought back to secure a 3-2 victory. The penalty spot has also featured prominently in Mike Maignan's summer, who began his World Cup campaign by saving Erling Strand Larsen's penalty in France's victory over Norway. Before that save on the world stage, Maignan had already denied Dybala and Çalhanoğlu from the spot in Serie A, while the only players to beat him were Pellegrini (Roma) and Vlašić (Torino, twice).
The new AC Milan 2026/27 Home Kit is available: buy it now!

#spot

Türkiye face the United States at Los Angeles Stadium in the early hours of Friday morning, eliminated from the 2026 World Cup and playing solely to salvage some pride from a deeply disappointing group stage.
Vincenzo Montella’s side have lost both their fixtures without scoring — 2–0 to Australia, 1–0 to Paraguay — conceding early in each game before dominating possession and shooting volume to little effect. With no tournament implications remaining, this fixture at least offers Türkiye’s considerable attacking talent the freedom to finally express itself.
Montella is expected to make few changes despite back-to-back defeats. The coaching staff believe in the quality of their players and will not abandon the system at the final hurdle. Kenan Yıldız, managing a calf issue, is likely to be available and is expected to keep his place in the attacking line.
Yunus Akgün is doubtful, with Barış Alper Yılmaz the likely replacement on the right flank. Arda Güler continues in the no. 10 position, operating as the creative hub between midfield and attack.
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu retains his role as the deeper of the two central midfielders, partnered again by İsmail Yüksek. Çalhanoğlu needs one more goal to surpass Tuncay Şanlı as the national team’s fourth-highest scorer of all time.

The group stage of World Cup 2026 is nearing a conclusion, with teams battling hard to secure a place in the round of 32.
Top favourites France and Argentina have already made it to the knockout stage, while England and Spain are on the cusp of securing qualification.
However, the World Cup journey has come to an end for six teams after losing their opening two matches. Below we take a look at these six teams.
Haiti showed fighting spirit in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss against Morocco, but their hopes for the next round had already ended after the 3-0 thumping by Brazil last week. The tournament minnows also lost their first group match 1-0 to Scotland.
Despite boasting supreme talents like Arda Guler and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Turkiye endured a disappointing campaign in North America. They lost 2-0 to Australia in their opening match before slumping to a 1-0 defeat against 10-man Paraguay.

Oaktree have allocated a €50m transfer budget – to be supplemented by player sales – for Inter Milan's summer window, with head coach Cristian Chivu requesting two centre-backs, midfielder Marco Palestra, and a further midfield signing, according to Corriere dello Sport.
The report, cited via FCInterMilan on Reddit, names Hakan Calhanoglu among the outgoing players expected to generate sale proceeds that would supplement the base figure – a notable development given Inter's previously stated reluctance to sell the Turkish international.
The €50m baseline aligns with Oaktree's established operating pattern since formally taking control in May 2024 following Suning's failure to repay a roughly €395m loan. The fund injected approximately €47m in new capital during the first quarter of the 2024-25 fiscal year and covered €40-50m in losses without demanding a marquee sale – a deliberate value-building approach rather than short-term cost management.
On the incomings side, Marco Palestra is explicitly named as a Chivu priority alongside two central defenders and a second midfielder. The coaching staff's willingness to articulate specific positional needs suggests the sporting and ownership structures are aligned early in the window.
Oaktree's medium-term strategy, as outlined by football finance ***** yst Marco Bellinazzo, targets an eventual sale of the club well above €2-2.5bn – meaning this window's spending must strengthen both on-pitch performance and balance-sheet optics ahead of that exit. The €415m bond refinanced in June 2025 via private credit further reduces near-term liability pressure, giving the fund modest room to act without triggering a fire-sale elsewhere in the squad.

Inter don’t stop
The new objective is Ndicka
After Palestra and with Jones and Solet arriving, here’s the defender from Roma (if De Vrij leaves). And Calhanoglu will only remain with the Nerazzurri
‘Milan, let Leao go. Pay for Krösche? Mica is Ancelotti
Interview with Savicevic

Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil secured a 3-0 win over Haiti in the second group stage game of the World Cup, but Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey lost 1-0 to Paraguay and faced elimination.
It’s been a night of mixed feelings for Italian coaches at the World Cup, with one, Montella, knocked out after just two rounds.
His Turkey side lost 1-0 to Paraguay despite playing the entire second half a man down. The South Americans took the lead in the second minute through Matias Galarza. Serie A stars Hakan Calhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz played the full 90 minutes but were unable to turn the game around.
Turkey already lost the opening round 2-0 to Australia, so their second consecutive loss means they are now eliminated.
“It’s truly incredible; we put down two high-level performances, making 65 shots towards the goal without being able to score. We didn’t concede much, but even that little was capitalised,” Montella said via Gazzetta.

62 shots. Over 100 touches in the opposition box. An Expected Goals total of almost 3.5. Those are the stats of Turkey’s attack in the matches against the two weaskest sides in Group D, Australia and Paraguay. And somehow, someway, Turkey scored zero goals, picked up zero points, and are eliminated from the World Cup before they even play the United States in the final group game.
A very talented generation that created tons of hope with a strong showing at EURO 2024 and a really good Qualifying campaign was unable to turn their statistical dominance into what actually matters in football: put the ball in the back of the net. Arda Güler’s passing and creativity were wasted, Kenan Yildiz played injured and still did more than enough to help his team, and captain Hakan Çalhanoglu saw one long-distance shot after another hit everything but the target.
Vincenzo Montella has never fully convinced the nation with his coaching, and his job will almost certainly be in major jeopardy after such a disappointing end to what was expected to be a dark horse type of World Cup campaign for a very talented generation. But his ultra-attacking style left his defense exposed time and time again throughout his tenure, and Turkey paid for it at the biggest stage.
As for the loss to Paraguay, it was absolutely wild. The game had everything: a great early goal, some incredible missed chances by the Turkish attack, and a refereeing performance by CONCACAF’s own Iván Barton that needs to be seen to be believed.
We also saw the first-ever red card for a player covering his mouth during a confrontation, and Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón has now been subjected to punishment from two new obscure rules in the same World Cup. It was a truly bonkers match, perfect for the neutrals, unforgettable for Paraguayans, and truly tragic for Turkey.

Turkey and Paraguay hope to recover from their disappointing start to the 2026 World Cup when they meet at Levi's Stadium. Vincenzo Montella's side were ineffective in their defeat to Australia, while Paraguay conceded four goals to co-hosts the United States.
Former FC Bayern youth player Kenan Yıldız only played the second-half against Australia, but the Turkish star will now feature from the start as he returns to full fitness. Yıldız is among the five players in Turkey's squad who were born in Germany, like his captain and former HSV and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu.
Meanwhile, Hoffenheim's center-back Ozan Kabak and Eintracht Frankfurt's sensation Can Uzun will hope for their first minutes of the tournament off the bench. Former Bundesliga players Çağlar Söyüncü, Kaan Ayhan, and Salih Özcan are also on the bench for Turkey, while ex-Hertha defender Omar Alderete starts for Paraguay.
Turkey: Çakır; Müldür, Demiral, Bardakcı, Kadıoğlu; Yüksek, Çalhanoğlu ©; Yıldız, Arda Güler, Akgün; Aktürkoğlu
Paraguay: Gill; Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez ©, Alderete, Alonso; Diego Gómez, Galarza; Cubas, Almirón; Pitta, Enciso

Turkey and Paraguay go head-to-head at Levi´s Stadium this Saturday in the World Cup. The match will be broadcast live at 04:00 on ITV 1.
In their last encounter, Turkey were beaten 2-0 by Australia (World Cup 2026). Last time out, Paraguay slipped to a 4-1 defeat against USA (World Cup 2026).
Turkey ( vs Australia 2026-06-14): Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Merih Demiral, Ferdi Kadioglu, Hakan Çalhanoglu, Ismail Yuksek, Arda Güler, Orkun Kökcu, Baris Yılmaz, Kerem Aktürkoğlu
Paraguay ( vs USA 2026-06-13): Orlando Gill, Juan José Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez, Omar Alderete, Júnior Alonso, Damián Bobadilla, Andrés Cubas, Diego Gómez, Julio Enciso, Tonny Sanabria, Miguel Almirón

Australia stunned Turkey 2-0 in their World Cup opener at Vancouver Stadium, with New York City FC midfielder Aiden O'Neill starting and playing the full 90 minutes for the Socceroos. Turkey were largely perceived as the favorite, with Real Madrid's Arda Güler and Inter Milan's Hakan Çalhanoğlu among their top players.
O'Neill's work rate, passing accuracy, and defensive contributions helped neutralize Turkey's creative threats while providing the platform for Australia's attacking players to flourish. The box-to-box midfielder joined NYCFC in April 2025 from Belgian side Standard Liège and has tallied seven ****** ists in 31 regular-season matches.
Australia scored on either side of halftime to begin their World Cup journey on the front foot, with goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe. O'Neill's midfield presence allowed the Socceroos to control tempo against a Turkey side expected to dominate possession through their Serie A stars.
With his complete performance, O'Neill became the third active MLS player to play for Australia in the World Cup, following former Red Bull New York midfielder Tim Cahill (2014) and former Columbus Crew defender Miloš Degenek (2022). O'Neill is one of three MLS players on Australia's World Cup squad, alongside NYCFC teammate Kai Trewin and Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington.
O'Neill has made 39 appearances across all competitions for NYCFC, helping New York City reach the MLS Eastern Conference Final last season. His transition from European football to MLS has provided him the platform to maintain his international form.