Los Angeles: USA suffer late defeat to Turkey but eye Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup knockout stage
The US men’s national team experienced a late defeat against Turkey, with Kaan Ayhan scoring the winning goal in stoppage time, resulting in a 3-2 loss for the Americans. This match, played in front of 70,492 fans at Los Angeles Stadium, concluded their World Cup group stage campaign. Despite the loss, the USMNT secured the top spot in Group D and will now prepare to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.
The US had already made history in the tournament, scoring their most goals in a single World Cup game and achieving two consecutive wins for the first time in the modern era. Their position at the top of Group D was confirmed with a game to spare, allowing head coach Mauricio Pochettino to rotate almost his entire squad for the match against Turkey.
Squad Rotation and Early Goals
Pochettino’s decision to heavily rotate the squad meant that only Weston McKennie remained from the starting lineups that faced Paraguay and Australia. Ricardo Pepi also retained his starting place, having previously started against Australia in place of an injured Christian Pulisic. Key players at risk of yellow-card suspension, including Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, and Antonee Robinson, did not feature, as yellow cards are reset after the group stage.
The US started the match brightly, with defender Auston Trusty scoring an early goal from a corner kick, marking his first international goal. This continued a trend of early goals for the US in the tournament. However, Turkey responded, with Arda Güler equalizing in the 10th minute. Turkey then took the lead in the 31st minute through Orkun Kökçü, marking the first time the US had trailed in this World Cup.
The US backline, which had been fluid in earlier matches, reverted to a more traditional flat back four against Turkey. This defensive setup had previously been exploited by Belgium in a friendly match and had presented challenges for the US in 2025. Güler‘s equalizer highlighted these defensive issues, as he capitalized on a scattered backline.
Turkey‘s second goal also stemmed from individual defensive lapses, with McKennie being beaten in the air in midfield, leading to a well-worked play that left Joe Scally exposed before Kökçü found the net.
Second Half Fightback and Late Drama
The US emerged from halftime with renewed energy, pressing more aggressively and tightening their defense. Sebastian Berhalter equalized shortly after the break with a well-struck volley from an uncleared corner. The Americans created several more opportunities that could have altered the outcome of the match.
A significant moment came in the 58th minute with the return of star attacker Christian Pulisic, who entered the game as a substitute. Pulisic had been sidelined with a calf injury sustained in the opening match against Paraguay. His appearance was a positive sign, as he moved normally and immediately impacted the attack, creating two chances that narrowly missed. Pochettino noted that getting Pulisic 30-40 minutes of play was an objective for the match, and he finished well, making an impact on the pitch.
Despite the US‘s efforts, Turkey delivered a decisive blow in the dying seconds of the game. Güler‘s work on the wing led to a cross that found Ayhan unmarked at the far post, who made no mistake with his finish, securing a 3-2 victory for Turkey. This late goal dramatically shifted the atmosphere in the stadium and in the US locker room.
Pochettino’s Perspective and Future Outlook
Following the match, coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed frustration with the line of questioning from the media, emphasizing that the team had achieved its primary objective of winning Group D. He highlighted that the outcome of this particular match was inconsequential to their progression in the tournament, as their top spot was already secured after two games.
Pochettino defended his decision to rotate the squad, stating it was to avoid risking key players for yellow card suspensions or potential injuries. He pointed out that the team’s six points represented their best-ever group-stage performance, matching the 1930 team’s record, though a win was worth two points then compared to three now. He concluded that the team is now much better than before and will be tested in their next game.
The USMNT will now face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 in Santa Clara, California, next Wednesday.
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Source: theguardian.com
Reuben Castle is the Sports News Writer at News GB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from print into digital sport news. He holds a degree in Journalism from Coventry University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Coventry, he follows the Open Championship and amateur boxing. “Accuracy first; the analysis can follow.”
