Pulisic returns as U.S. loses to Turkey, sets up Bosnia match

Kaan Ayhan’s 98th-minute winner gave Turkey a 3-2 victory over the U.S. men’s national team at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, but the defeat did not change the Americans’ path out of Group D. The U.S. had already clinched the group before kickoff and now moves on to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara, California.

The loss was the first for the U.S. in the tournament and arrived after the Americans had opened the World Cup unbeaten. Turkey, already eliminated, played with little to lose and kept pressing until the final moments, when Ayhan finished off the late chance that settled a game tied deep into stoppage time. The result leaves the U.S. with a reminder that control in the group stage does not guarantee the same margin once knockout pressure arrives.

Christian Pulisic’s return was the clearest positive for the Americans. After being sidelined by a calf injury and leaving the U.S. opener against Paraguay at halftime, Pulisic came off the bench against Turkey and looked close to full speed. His presence gives the U.S. a much-needed attacking option heading into a single-elimination match where one absence can reshape the game.

Bosnia and Herzegovina earned its place in the round of 32 as one of the best third-place teams in the 48-team format. It finished third in Group B with four points behind Switzerland and Canada and enters the matchup ranked 62nd in FIFA’s rankings. The knockout game will be played at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, giving the U.S. a short turnaround before a test against an opponent that survived the group stage by doing enough, not by dominating.

The stakes for the U.S. remain high. The men’s team has reached the knockout rounds in four of its last six World Cup appearances, but its best finish still dates to 1930, when the Americans placed third. That history hangs over every knockout match now, especially after a late loss showed how quickly a secure group campaign can turn into a stress test.