USMNT falls to Türkiye on late winner in World Cup group finale

Auston Trusty put the USMNT ahead in the third minute at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, but Kaan Ayhan struck in the 98th minute and turned a 2-2 match into a 3-2 Türkiye win. The result closed Group D and denied the United States a perfect finish even after it had already clinched first place and a spot in the round of 32.

Türkiye arrived eliminated after losing its first two group matches, but it exposed the U.S. late. The matchup was the first World Cup meeting between the countries, and it came in a series that had been tight from the start, with each of the previous five meetings decided by one goal or fewer.

Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to his starting lineup from the win over Australia, the largest rotation between two World Cup matches in USMNT history. Christian Pulisic returned to action after missing the previous game with a leg injury, and Sebastian Berhalter assisted Trusty’s opener, then scored his first World Cup goal to bring the United States level at 2-2 in the second half.

Trusty’s early finish was the second-fastest goal by the United States in a World Cup match, giving the Americans an immediate advantage before Türkiye settled into the game. Ayhan’s stoppage-time winner left the U.S. with a loss.

Even with the defeat, the United States finished the group with six points, the most it has ever collected in a World Cup group stage. A victory would have made it the first U.S. team to win three matches in a single World Cup group stage, but Ayhan’s goal denied that chance. The Americans now head to Santa Clara, California, to face Bosnia and Herzegovina.