Paraguay completed training sessions in San Jose ahead of their Group D encounter with Turkey on Friday. Coach Gustavo Alfaro's squad focused on tactical work, set-piece drills, and physical preparation following their opening loss to the USA.
Midfielder Andrés Cubas told reporters: 'The group is well, we are confident and want to reverse this. We know it depends on us.' Cubas urged supporters to maintain faith in the team, pledging an improved performance.
Forward Isidro Pitta struck a resolute tone, stating: 'What we saw against USA is not the Paraguay everyone knows. We talked among ourselves and turned the page. This match is not about three points, it's a final for us.' Pitta emphasized the squad's unity and determination to respond immediately.
Paraguay's framing of the Turkey match as decisive may extend underdog odds markets, with teams recovering from opening defeats often seeing improved pricing in subsequent matches. Early turnarounds can shift Group D qualification probabilities if Paraguay produce a decisive performance.
→ Next match preview: Turkey — Paraguay