INGLEWOOD, Calif. (June 25, 2026) – In an end-to-end group stage finale in which the U.S. Men’s National Team held an edge in almost every category but the final score, the USA fell 3-2 to a scrappy Türkiye side that had nothing to lose to conclude Group D play at FIFA World Cup 2026 at Los Angeles Stadium.
The USA came into the match having already secured first place in the group and a berth to the Round of 32 while Türkiye, which had lost its first two matches and was eliminated from the tournament before the opening whistle blew, was playing for pride. It turned out to be a powerful motivator.
The USA started fast once again as a goal in the third minute from defender Auston Trusty put the U.S. ahead early. The USA fell behind 2-1 after two slickly worked first half goals from Türkiye, but midfielder Sebastian Berhalter’s tied the game just over three minutes into the second half and it look as if the USA would be the team to get a winner, bolstered by second half substitute Christian Pulisic, who saw his first World Cup action since leaving the first game of the tournament at halftime. Ultimately the U.S. fell short as Türkiye scored the game-winner in the final moments of second-half stoppage time.
Even with the result, the U.S. remains atop Group D and heads into knockout stage of the tournament with six points, which remains the highest total ever for the USMNT in a FIFA World Cup group stage.
With the match having no impact on the group standings and with several players carrying yellow cards, U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino opted to heavily rotate his starters from the previous two group stage matches, making nine changes to the lineup that started June 19 win over Australia, the most ever for the USMNT between two FIFA World Cup matches.
Midfielder Weston McKennie, who captained the side for the fourth time in his career, along with striker Ricardo Pepi were the two holdovers. Four starters – goalkeeper Matt Turner, defenders Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie and forward Brenden Aaronson – made their first appearances of FIFA World Cup 2026.
The sides entered Thursday’s contest on either end of the Group D standings. Wins against Paraguay and Australia helped the U.S. clinch a spot in the Round of 32 and take the top spot in the group with one match left to play. Two losses in the group stage, scoreless in both despite a total of 62 shots, eliminated Türkiye from the competition before tonight’s match.
In the competitive debut of the Stars jersey, the U.S. started the match energetic, and it didn’t take long for the team to be rewarded when Trusty opened the scoring off excellent corner kick service from Berhalter. Trusty's goal, which arrived just 134 seconds into the match, was the second-fastest USMNT goal scored in a FIFA World Cup match.
The U.S. expected a difficult match against a Türkiye team that had been harshly criticized by its home fans and media, and not long after going down 1-0 the Crescent-Stars showed their quality. In the 10th minute, Türkiye evened the match on an excellent finish from Arda Güler for his nation’s first goal of the tournament.
It looked like the U.S. pulled ahead when defender Mark McKenzie cleaned up a loose ball off another Berhalter corner kick, but the goal was called back due to offside.
Türkiye, in fact, was the side to pull ahead. In the 31st minute, following a nice sequence of passes in and around the box, Orkun Kökçü finished with his right foot just inside the six-yard box to give the Crescent-Stars a 2-1 lead.
Trailing for the first time in this FIFA World Cup, the U.S. didn’t relent its attack and continued to take chances, and just as the first half started with a fast goal for the U.S., so did the second. The ball popped out to the top of the penalty box after a long throw-in and Berhalter smashed a shot from about 18 yards into the lower left corner, under a jumping McKennie, to pull the U.S. level in the 49th minute. It was the USMNT's second goal off a set piece on the night.
In the 58th minute, Pochettino made his first substitution, sending on Pulisic to replace Tim Weah. Pulisic along with the substitutes that followed – fullback Alex Freeman, midfielder Alex Zendejas and wingback Sergiño Dest – brought fresh legs and an injection of creativity as the USMNT pushed for the go-ahead goal, urged on by the strident U-S-A chants of a packed house.
But in second-half stoppage time, Türkiye stunned with the game-winning finish to steal a point from the Group D winners. Kaan Ayhan’s sliding effort in the final moments earned the first points for the UEFA opponent at this year’s tournament.
Up next, the U.S. will spend several more days at its base camp in Southern California before traveling north to Santa Clara, Calif. for a single-elimination Round of 32 match on Wednesday, July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – AUSTON TRUSTY (SEBASTIAN BERHALTER), 3rd minute: From the left corner flag, Sebastian Berhalter delivered pinpoint service to Auston Trusty just outside the six-yard box at the far post. The defender brought the ball down beautifully with one touch then smashed a low, driven left-footed shot that flashed into the net just inside the near post for the defender’s first international goal. USA 1, TUR 0
TUR – ARDA GÜLER (BARISYıLMAZ), 10th minute: Türkiye exercised patience and connected a few passes on the right flank. Yılmaz slipped a pass to Güler running into the box, and the Real Madrid midfielder slotted a right-footed shot from about eight yards out in the center of the box just underneath one of the outstretched arms of U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner. USA 1, TUR 1
TUR – ORKUN KÖKÇÜ (EREN ELMALI), 31stminute: Elmalı received a pass toward the end line after making a hard overlapping run inside the penalty box. His cutback cross into the center of the box met the right foot of Kökçü just inside the six-yard box and he spun his shot into the right side of the net. USA 1, TUR 2
USA – SEBASTIAN BERHALTER, 49th minute: Following a long throw-in from Mark McKenzie, the ball was knocked down and bounced toward Berhalter in position at the edge of the 18-yard box. The midfielder showed exquisite technique, getting his shoulders over the ball and finding a lane through a crowded box to deliver a low, driven strike into the lower left corner. USA 2, TUR 2
TUR – KAAN AYHAN, 90th minute: Working the ball from the right corner flag in the match’s dying moments, Can Uzun settled a long cross at the far, left post, which drew Turner off his line. Uzun’s pass across the face of goal from the edge of the six-yard box caught a deflection from Freeman’s sliding effort. The ball kept rolling in front of goal, and Ayan slid to knock the ball into the back of the net with his right boot. USA 2, TUR 3 FINAL
Additional Notes:
- With the two goals on the night, the USMNT has set an all-time record for most goals scored in a single World Cup at eight.
- In his first World Cup start, Auston Trusty scored the second fastest goal in USMNT history, scoring just 134 seconds into the match, just behind Clint Dempsey’s 30-second goal against Ghana in 2014.
- The goal was also the first of Trusty’s international career.
- Trusty’s goal against Türkiye marks the first time the USMNT has had multiple defenders score in a World Cup along with Alex Freeman’s header against Australia.
- In this World Cup, the USMNT has scored three goals in the first 15 minutes of the first half, something that no other team has done at this year’s tournament.
- Sebastian Berhalter scored the second international goal of his career and first at the FIFA World Cup in his first start.
- Berhalter is the first USMNT player to record both a goal and an assist in a FIFA World Cup match on record since 1966.
- Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, and Alex Zendejas made their FIFA World Cup debuts.
- Cristian Roldan was unavailable due to injury.
| Scoring Summary |
1 |
2 |
F |
| USA |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| TUR |
2 |
1 |
3 |
| USA – Auston Trusty (Sebastian Berhalter) | 3rd minute |
| TUR – Arda Güler (Barış Alper Yılmaz) | 10 |
| TUR – Orkun Kökçü (Eren Elmalı) | 31 |
| USA – Sebastian Berhalter | 49 |
| TUR – Kaan Ayhan | 90+8 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Matt Turner; 23-Joe Scally (16-Alex Freeman, 77), 12-Miles Robinson, 22-Mark McKenzie, 6-Auston Trusty; 14-Sebastian Berhalter, 8-Weston McKennie (Capt.) (17-Malik Tillman), 7-Gio Reyna (2-Sergiño Dest, 76), 11-Brenden Aaronson (26-Alex Zendejas, 77), 9-Ricardo Pepi, 21-Tim Weah (10-Christian Pulisic, 58)
Substitutes not used: 24-Matt Freese, 25-Chris Brady, 3-Chris Richards, 4-Tyler Adams, 5-Antonee Robinson, 13-Tim Ream, 18-Max Arfsten, 19-Haji Wright, 20-Folarin Balogun
Head Coach: Mauricio Pochettino
TUR: 23-Uğurcan Çakır; 2-Zeki Çelik (Capt.) (4-Çaglar Söyüncü, 84),15-Ozan Kabak, 14-Abdülkerim Bardakçı,13-Eren Elmalı; 5-Salih Özcan, 6-Orkun Kökçü (22-Kaan Ayhan, 88), 24-Oğuz Aydın (18-Mert Müldür), 8-Arda Güler, 11-Kenan Yıldız (26-Can Uzun, 84), 21-Barış Alper Yılmaz (17-İrfan Can Kahveci, 90)
Substitutes not used: 1- Mert Günok, 12-Altay Bayındır; 3-Merih Demiral, 7-Kerem Aktürkoğlu, 9-Deniz Gül, 10-Hakan Çalhanoğlu, 16-İsmail Yüksek, 19-Yunus Akgün, 20-Ferdi Kadıoğlu, 25-Samet Akaydın
Head Coach: Vincenzo Montella
Stats Summary: USA / TUR
Shots: 18 / 9
Shots on Goal: 7 / 3
Saves: 0 / 5
Corner Kicks: 9 / 2
Fouls: 13 / 13
Offsides: 5 / 2
| Misconduct Summary |
| USA - Sebastian Berhalter (Caution) | 19th minute |
Officials:
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
Assistant 1: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)
Assistant 2: Abbes Akram Zerhouni (ALG)
Fourth Official: Omar Alali (UAE)
VAR 1: Antonio Garcia (URU)
VAR 2: Mahmoud Ashour (EGY)
VAR 3: Juan Lara (CHI)
