The United States breaks and loses the procedure with Türkiye

The hosts will face Bosnia in the round of 32 while Montella’s team said goodbye with something from Güler and a victory in the 98th minute

MADRID, 26 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United States team lost (3-2) to Turkey this Thursday in an entertaining final match in Group D of the 2026 World Cup, despite the fact that neither team had anything at stake at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, classified in advance and the host as the first, which will face Bosnia in the round of 32, and an honorable farewell for the eliminated Turkish team.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men lowered the soufflé somewhat although, for practical purposes, the USA ‘team’ rotated up to nine players in their eleven and almost delivered against a Turkey already eliminated, but forced to make up its image. The locals, effective on set pieces, started off with a strong lead and the lead was 0-1 after three minutes. Auston Trusty’s goal was matched by Arda Güler who wanted a competitive farewell, showing leadership and quality.

Türkiye came back before the break with Orkun Kokcu making it 2-1, but again the United States came back better after the break to tie. The return of Christian Pulisic after missing the second day enlivened the glamorous Los Angeles stadium, but it was Kaan Ayhan who made it 3-2 in the 98th minute, celebrated with rage by a team called to do much more than this useless victory.

The United States, with its favoritism intact to go far as one of the surprises of the tournament, met Bosnia in the round of 32 although it could not emulate the nine out of nine in points of its neighbor co-host Mexico. The Yankee scoreboard bore fruit in Trusty’s 0-1, and the Stars and Stripes team once again showed vertigo in their offense and good connection despite the changes.

On the other hand, in a tough week for Vincenzo Montella and his team, Türkiye found the lost effectiveness in the first one that Güler had, taking advantage of a good wall with Baris Yilmaz. The Real Madrid player gave free rein to his quality and, after a goal disallowed against the United States, it was 2-1 in a beautiful Ottoman connection. The Turks vindicated themselves in the face of a Pochettino experiment that was beginning to fail on several sides.

Before the break, Trusty had it, again with a set piece, and there, in that strategy and second play so well worked out by the Argentine coach, it was 2-2 after Sebastian Berhalter’s restart. The entry of Pulisic, reserved after 45 brilliant minutes of debut due to calf discomfort, brought the host’s third goal closer, with a ball hitting the post included.

Those from Montella showed up with a couple of actions by Kenan Yildiz, the Juventus player not as vindictive as Güler. In long stoppage time, Ayhan cooled down the Hollywood stadium and allowed Turkey to celebrate but late in its frustrated return to the World Cup 24 years after being third. The United States moves forward with an affordable path to go further than ever, also at home.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: Türkiye, 3 – UNITED STATES, 2. (2-1, at halftime).

–ALIGNMENTS.

TURQUA: Cakir; Çelik (Söyüncü, min.83), Kabak, Bardakci, Elmali; Ozcan, Kokcu (Ayhan, min.88), Aydin (Muldur, min.92), Güler, Yildiz (Uzun, min.84), Yilmaz (Kahveci, min.92).

UNITED STATES: Turner; Scally (Freeman, min.77), Trusty, Robinson, McKenzie; Berhalter, Mckennie (Tillman, min.86); Weah (Pulisic, min.58), Reyna (Dest, min.76), Aaronson (Zendejas, min.77) and Pepi.

–GOALS:

0 – 1, min.3, Trusty.

1 – 1, min.10, Guler.

2 – 1, min.31, Kokcu.

2 – 2, min.49, Berhalter.

3 – 2, min.98, Ayhan.

–REFEREE: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG). He cautioned Berhalter (min.19) in the United States.

–STADIUM: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (United States).