The final matchday of Group D delivered one of the most entertaining spectacles of the tournament as Turkiye defeated the United States men’s national soccer team 3-2. A packed Los Angeles Stadium witnessed an absolute rollercoaster of emotions filled with brilliant individual performances and extreme late drama. Despite the loss, the United States still finish at the top of Group D, while Turkiye exits the tournament with a massive victory to restore team pride.

Turkiye vs USA World Cup 2026: An Early Exploded Start

The high-stakes atmosphere in California set the stage for an explosive start. It took only three minutes for the United States to open the scoring. Moving quickly on a set-piece routine, Sebastian Berhalter swung in a precise corner kick. An unmarked Auston Trusty lunged forward at the back post to hammer a left-footed strike past Uğurcan Çakır.

The early goal meant the USMNT achieved a notable milestone by scoring first in three consecutive matches. However, the early deficit only woke up a passionate Turkish side.

Real Madrid Prodigy Leads the Turkish Comeback

Turkiye responded almost instantly through the brilliance of their young playmaker, Arda Güler. In the 10th minute, Güler exchanged a sleek pass with Barış Alper Yılmaz. The Real Madrid starlet calmly slotted the ball home to equalize, becoming Turkiye’s youngest-ever scorer in World Cup history.

The momentum shifted entirely toward the European side after the equalizer. In the 31st minute, Orkun Kökçü put Turkiye ahead. Eren Elmalı delivered a low cross into the box after an overlap, allowing Kökçü to smash it into the net. The USMNT baseline defense struggled to cope with the fluid overlapping runs of the Turkish wingbacks.

Berhalter Rocket Restores Parity for United States

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino rotated his squad heavily for this dead-rubber match, making nine changes to safeguard key players from yellow card suspensions. The backup players showed immense character directly after the halftime interval.

In the 48th minute, Sebastian Berhalter grabbed a rebound right at the edge of the box. He unleashed a ferocious right-footed rocket through heavy traffic to make it 2-2. The ball zipped perfectly under the feet of Weston McKennie, completely blinding goalkeeper Matt Turner on the opposite end.

Pulisic Returns But Ayhan Steals the Headlines

Looking to snatch all three points, Pochettino introduced several core starters, including Christian Pulisic. The stadium erupted with a massive standing ovation for Pulisic, who missed previous action with a calf injury. Pulisic looked incredibly sharp and nearly forced an own goal, but Çakır tipped it onto the post.

The match looked destined to end in a draw until the 98th minute of play. Arda Güler produced another piece of magic by nutmegging Christian Pulisic near the touchline. The ball was cycled to the back post, where Can Uzun’s low shot squirmed under Matt Turner. While Alex Freeman attempted a goal-line block, veteran defender Kaan Ayhan pounced onto the loose ball to bundle it home.

Knockout Rounds Await the USMNT

Though the late goal spoiled a perfect group-stage run, the big picture remains highly encouraging for the Americans. They successfully rested crucial starters and managed to avoid any roster suspensions. The USMNT moves on to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Meanwhile, Turkiye heads home with their heads held high after a memorable performance.