Paraguay's Miguel Almiron becomes 1st player red-carded at the World Cup for covering his mouth

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player issued with a red card at the World Cup for covering his mouth, getting sent off during a confrontation late in the first half against Turkey on Friday night.

The infraction came during first-half stoppage time in the Group D match when Almiron and Mert Mulder exchanged words following a foul near midfield. Almiron covered his mouth while saying something to Mulder, who immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton for punishment.

Barton went to video review and quickly ruled that Almiron would be given a red card and ejected under a new rule put in place for this year's World Cup.

“According to the law, if you cover your mouth you’re sent off. Red card,” coach Gustavo Alfaro said. “There’s nothing I can do about that. Unfortunately, we can’t issue a new opinion on this.”

Paraguay led 1-0 at the time and held on for the win despite playing a man down for the entire second half.

Alfaro said he tried to cheer Almiron up after the game, telling him his absence brought out the “fighting spirit” of the team.

“He apologized to the players for his mistake,” Alfaro said. “He knew about the situation he had left his teammates in with his actions. ... It happened and it happened.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the new rule after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni tried to hide verbal insults toward Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League game.

Alfaro said the team was well aware of the rule even if it might be too harsh.

“I fear we are too strict and football loses its essence,” Alfaro said. “In football, there’s frictions, fights, clashes.”

The red card means Almiron will miss the final group stage match against Australia with second place in Group D on the line. FIFA could choose to lengthen a suspension to sideline Almiron for a knockout round match.

“I hope the penalty is he misses as few matches as possible,” Alfaro said. “He was very sorry and he was heavily affected.”

This is the second time in two games at the World Cup that Almiron was carded under a new rule in place this year. He got a yellow card in the opening match against the United States after video review overturned a yellow card issued to Tim Ream and gave it to Almiron instead for diving.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Paraguay's Miguel Almiron reacts after received a red card during the World Cup Group D soccer match against Turke in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Referee Ivan Arcides Barton Cisneros, of El Salvador, signals to ask for a VAR review before issuing a red card to Paraguay's Miguel Almiron (10) during the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and Paraguay in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Paraguay's Miguel Almiron reacts after he received a red card during the World Cup Group D soccer match against Turke in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Paraguay's Miguel Almiron reacts after he received a red card during the World Cup Group D soccer match against Turke in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mason Miller will probably want to come up with something a little better than cigars for his San Diego Padres teammates when he returns to his team as a first-time father.

Not only did the Padres cover splendidly for their top reliever in their gritty playoff victory Tuesday night, they kept San Diego's season going likely long enough for Miller to pitch again.

The Padres announced that their All-Star closer was on the paternity list and would miss Game 3 of the NL Division Series only about 45 minutes before they faced the Milwaukee Brewers with their season on the line. San Diego did not announce that setup man Adrian Morejon also was unavailable because of discomfort in his shoulder.

The Padres had to face the MLB-best Brewers without the top two relievers in their vaunted bullpen — but that didn't deter a team that fought through a midseason malaise and streaked into the postseason with a sensational September.

“It was a chance for the other guys to pick those two up,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “We relied on them and got a lot of wins because they pitched so well this season. All the other guys stepped up and did their job today.”

After starter Nick Pivetta faltered in the fifth, three relievers fought to get eight outs against the Brewers' relentless lineup before Game 2 starter Michael King took care of the final two innings in a 4-3 victory for his first save since 2023.

After the Padres survived this desperate day, pitching coach Ruben Niebla said the Padres expect Miller to return to the team for Game 4 on Wednesday night. King said Morejon also could be available.

The Padres' bullpen was taxed in Game 3, but it held on thanks to King, who stepped up on one day of rest and delivered. He yielded a hit in the eighth and then two walks in the ninth before Christian Yelich smacked a 107 mph line drive — but veteran shortstop Xander Bogaerts stopped it and turned a game-ending double play, ending King's emergency outing at 40 pitches.

“I know that I have bullets in my arm that I don’t want to save,” King said. “I felt like it needed to be the right time. I think that it all aligned with Mason going on paternity. Even if he was available, I was still going to be up and ready to go in whatever situation that presented itself. If you’re in an elimination game, you want everybody to be all in on it, and I feel like not just me included, we have a bunch of dogs down there that are all in.”

King pitched seven innings a week ago against the Cubs, and he threw five more last Sunday against the Brewers, throwing 169 total pitches. But he was ready for more immediately after leaving the mound in Milwaukee.

“He said it as soon as he came out of the game the other day: ‘I’m going to be ready for Game 3 and 4,'” Padres slugger Manny Machado said. “I kind of told him, ‘Why? Get ready for Game 5.’ But he wanted the ball, man. He definitely showed up today for us and closed it out. It wasn’t easy. They’re a hard ballclub over there. They didn’t make it easy for us.”

Miller was one of the best closers in the majors this season. With a fastball that regularly touches 104 mph, he converted 38 of his 41 save opportunities and went 5-2 with a 0.90 WHIP and 129 strikeouts over 70 innings.

But the right-hander also blew a save in the ninth inning of the Padres' 4-3 loss in Milwaukee last Sunday, putting San Diego in an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series. While attempting to finish a two-inning save, Miller issued three walks before Jackson Chourio delivered a two-out, two-strike, two-run single to win it on Miller's 40th pitch.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller reacts after defeating the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card baseball playoff series Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Mason Miller throws during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller, right, walks with pitcher Adrian Morejon during training a day before Game 3 of a National League Division Series baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)