Turkey stun – Kaan Ayhan’s 98th-minute strike sent Turkey to a dramatic 3-2 win over USA in Los Angeles, while Australia’s 0-0 draw with Paraguay confirmed Turkey’s elimination. The wider fallout hit Scotland hardest: after their Group C exit with three points, they dropped
When Kaan Ayhan let fly in the 98th minute, it wasn’t just a goal—it was the final piece of a night that had already swung like a pendulum in Los Angeles. Turkey had trailed, had fought back, and then snatched a 3-2 win over the World Cup hosts USA with the last kick of the game.
The celebrations came fast. The damage for USA’s tournament story didn’t. Mauricio Pochettino’s rotated side still finished the night on top of Group D with six points, and the result didn’t stop USA’s progress.
But for Arda Guler and his Turkey teammates, there was heartbreak right behind the euphoria. Australia’s 0-0 draw with Paraguay confirmed Turkey would be eliminated as Group D’s bottom-placed team.
USA’s night had started brightly. Auston Trusty fired them ahead in the third minute before Guler levelled the score seven minutes later. Baris Alper Yilmaz then gave Turkey a shock lead after just past the hour mark. only for Sebastian Berhalter to make it 2-2 with a thunderous strike four minutes after the break. With the game heading toward a different kind of ending. Ayhan struck late—yet it still wasn’t enough to rescue Turkey’s place in the tournament.
Across the group, Australia edged closer to the knockouts without needing to pull the trigger. Paraguay and Australia played out a tense 0-0 draw, and Australia finished second in Group D on four points behind first-placed USA.
For Paraguay, that stalemate could still be a lifeline. The draw brought them up to four points with inferior goal difference to the Aussies, but it left them in position to qualify as one of the best third-place teams.
That’s where Scotland’s frustration crystallised.
After finishing Group C with three points. Steve Clarke’s side slipped further down the third-place ranking following Thursday’s action—leapfrogged by South Korea. Bosnia & Herzegovina. Paraguay. Ecuador and Sweden. They now sit eighth in the third-place table. with a record of played 2. won 1. draw 0. lost 1. for 1 goal. against 4. and goal difference -3. collecting 3 points.
The third-place race is reshaping quickly, and Scotland know it. South Korea sit above them, as do Algeria and others further up the list—with the knockouts still only reserved for the top eight.
In the rest of the overnight story, emotion did the talking.
Ecuador’s 2-1 win over Germany in Group E sent them into the knockout stages in dramatic fashion. Leroy Sane put Ecuador’s opponents ahead with a strike in the second minute. but Nilson Angulo—of Sunderland—levelled it for Ecuador. sparking a comeback that carried more weight because Ecuador needed to win just to have a chance.
Gonzalo Plata sealed the turnaround late. poking home the winner after he beat Manuel Neuer to a flick-on from a corner. Ecuador held on, and the full-time scenes were immediate and raw, with players and fans weeping. Manager Sebastian Beccacece—heavily criticised ahead of the clash—jumped into the stands to celebrate. There was no mistaking the relief after what had come before.
In Group E, Ivory Coast didn’t need to be at their best to keep the tournament’s message simple. Nicolas Pepe scored either side of half-time as Curacao were beaten 2-0, securing Ivory Coast second spot.
That result brings fresh pressure to the tournament’s schedule and to the superstars it keeps promising. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are set for their blockbuster clash on Friday—France vs Norway in Boston—with Norway needing a win to avoid meeting Ivory Coast in the last 32.
Ivory Coast’s performance also carried a quieter warning. They qualified for the knockout rounds for the first time in their history. and they did it with European experience and emerging talent. including Christ Inao Oulai and Liverpool target Yan Diomande. Diomande played a key role in Pepe’s opener after only seven minutes: he regained possession. squared for Pepe. and Pepe guided it into the far corner.
Tahith Chong. once of Manchester United and now with Sheffield United. looked bright for Curacao. while Jurien Gaari and Joshua Brenet were caught in a muddle. Curacao had half-chances. including squandered moments by Gaari and Leandro Bacuna. but Ivory Coast stepped on the gas midway through the second half. Ibrahim Sangare split the defence with a pass, and Pepe curled beyond Eloy Room from 15 yards.
In Group F, the Netherlands ended up comfortably on top after a chaotic start for Tunisia. Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri put into his own goal after three minutes. and four minutes later Brian Brobbey added a second to make it 2-0. Tunisia responded through Hazem Mastouri, pulling one back, but the fight lasted only around eight minutes. Jan Paul van Hecke—of Tottenham—headed in from a corner to restore the Dutch lead.
The wider picture was grim for Tunisia: they sacked manager Sabri Lamouchi after one game, and they finished as the tournament’s worst side, conceding 12 goals in three games while scoring two. The Netherlands, meanwhile, booked a last-32 clash with Morocco after finishing as Group F leaders.
Later in Group F. Japan and Sweden played to a 1-1 draw that didn’t stretch anyone’s emotions for long. Daizen Maeda put Japan ahead with a fine goal after good play from Ayase Ueda and Ritsu Doan. Then Newcastle’s Anthony Elanga levelled with his second goal in as many games. firing in from distance which Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki saw late.
Neither side needed more after that—both knew a point would send them through. Graham Potter celebrated at full-time as the group’s third-place spot and the final knockouts picture locked in.
All of it sits under the brighter, more immediate question for Friday: Mbappe vs Haaland. Both have scored four goals in two World Cup matches, and the matchup in Boston is already framed as a golden-boot battle waiting to happen.
Scotland’s angle is harsher. Their Group C exit leaves them tethered to results they can’t control, and Thursday’s swing pushed them down. The tournament keeps moving, and the margins between the top eight and the rest are getting smaller by the hour.
World Cup Turkey USA Kaan Ayhan Arda Guler Sebastian Berhalter Australia Paraguay Scotland Steve Clarke third-place race Ecuador Germany Leroy Sane Nilson Angulo Gonzalo Plata Ivory Coast Curacao Nicolas Pepe Mbappe Haaland France Norway Netherlands Tunisia Japan Sweden