U.S. stunned by Türkiye, but advances to Round of 32

U.S. lost – A dramatic, back-and-forth group-stage finale ended with the United States losing to Türkiye 3-2. Auston Trusty gave the U.S. an early lead in the third minute, but Arda Güler and Orkun Kökçü put Türkiye ahead before halftime. A second-half strike from Sebasti

When Auston Trusty’s third-minute goal went in, it felt like the United States might control the night. Then Türkiye’s response arrived like a shock wave—sudden, sharp, and sustained—turning a match that should’ve been routine into something worth remembering for the fans in the co-host’s stadium.

The U.S. lost to Türkiye 3-2 in the co-host’s final group stage game of the 2026 World Cup. Trusty’s early finish was canceled out by a sustained Turkish surge that produced two first-half goals from Arda Güler and Orkun Kökçü. A second-half strike from Sebastian Berhalter leveled the scoreline. but a stoppage time finish from Kaan Ayhan gave Turkish supporters the last word as the tournament moved on.

Even with the sting of the defeat, the Americans got what they needed from the larger picture. The U.S. still managed to win Group D despite the loss, and will advance to the knockout stage on Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Trusty scored in the third minute after a corner—his perfect first touch at the back post matched the confidence of the finish that gave the home team an early goal. But Türkiye erased that lead by the 10th minute. Güler tied the game with a strike of their own. and then Türkiye took the lead through a Kökçü finish that followed another U.S. defensive lapse.

The timing mattered. The U.S. went into the match already in control of its knockout spot atop Group D. and that context helps explain why the lineup looked different. Ahead of the tournament, there had been debate over which goalkeeper would start. In the first two games, Matt Turner of the Revolution was on the bench as most expectations leaned elsewhere. For this match, with Pochettino resting most of the regular starters, Turner was among the players to get the nod.

At times, the early goal suggested the rotated group would bring control. Then Türkiye showed up with the urgency the visitors had missed in their previous two games. which had resulted in an early and fairly unforeseen elimination in the group stage. In this one. Türkiye struck back with intensity—displaying both defensive bite and goal-scoring touch that had been lacking in the losses to Australia and Paraguay.

The second half brought its own momentum shift. The U.S. was facing a deficit for the first time in the World Cup, and it responded quickly. Berhalter scored at the near post after another set piece—indirectly from a long throw-in—when he pounced on a bouncing rebound and lashed it home.

About ten minutes later, the U.S. subbed on its star, Christian Pulisic. The 27-year-old had missed the second group stage game due to a calf injury. and in his first appearance of the night he looked fresh and lively. nearly scoring five minutes after he came on. The remainder of the half became a push-and-pull stretch: the U.S. created several opportunities, but couldn’t convert enough to pull ahead for a third time.

Then the game flipped again with the last kick. With virtually the final play. Ayhan took advantage of another collective defensive breakdown from the Americans to score a late winner. That goal ensured Türkiye left the tournament on a high note—at least emotionally—while the U.S. had to absorb how quickly a match can slip when details fall apart.

The aftermath is complicated only in the way it always is in tournament football: consequences, and the lack of them. The defeat has essentially no major consequences for the U.S. because the group was already locked up and the Round of 32 matchup is already set. The other good news is that players like Pulisic. along with other starters who appeared at various stages of the night. did not suffer injuries.

For Pochettino, though, the scoreline can’t be ignored. The loss will demand reflection and regrouping—especially around the U.S. defense, which allowed far too much space and looked lackadaisical at crucial moments.

Wednesday’s opponent, Bosnia and Herzegovina, looks favorable for the U.S. on paper, and there’s a clear goal behind the schedule: to win its first knockout round match since 2002. But Thursday’s performance carried a warning the early games didn’t. If the host country wants to make a run at the 2026 tournament. it will have to play a sharper game—one that doesn’t leave openings for a team that. until now. hadn’t been able to find a way through the group stage.

2026 World Cup United States vs Türkiye Matt Turner Auston Trusty Arda Güler Orkun Kökçü Sebastian Berhalter Kaan Ayhan Christian Pulisic Bosnia and Herzegovina