Substitute Kaan Ayhan scored a dramatic 98th-minute winner to secure a 3-2 victory for Turkey over the United States in a thrilling final Group D encounter at Los Angeles Stadium.
Though Turkey had already been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup following consecutive losses to Australia and Paraguay, the victory allowed the Crescent Stars to snap their tournament goal drought and head home with their pride intact. For the host nation, the result did little damage to their campaign, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side had already guaranteed a top spot in the group and a place in the Round of 32.
With qualification already secured, Pochettino made sweeping changes to his starting lineup, making ten rotations from the squad that defeated Australia. Despite the heavily experimental lineup, the Americans enjoyed a lightning-fast start. Auston Trusty capitalised on poor Turkish set-piece defending just two minutes into the match, turning a corner delivered by Sebastian Berhalter past goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır at the back post.
Turkey, who had failed to find the net with any of their first 62 shot attempts in the tournament, finally broke their deadlock on their 63rd try. In the 10th minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz fed a reverse pass to teenage sensation Arda Güler, who neatly slipped the ball past US goalkeeper Matt Turner to equalise. Güler’s clinical finish etched his name in the record books as Turkey’s youngest-ever goalscorer at a World Cup.
The visitors began dominating the first half and took a 2-1 lead in the 31st minute. A slick buildup orchestrated by Eren Elmalı and Güler allowed Orkun Kökçü to finish a sharp move, with Yılmaz credited for a final touch.
The US fought back early in the second half, exposing Turkey’s set-piece vulnerabilities once more. In the 49th minute, a long throw fell to the edge of the box, allowing Sebastian Berhalter to fire a powerful drive beyond Çakır’s reach to restore parity.
In pursuit of a victory, Pochettino introduced several seasoned players, including star forward Christian Pulisic, who was making his return from a calf injury. Pulisic instantly revitalised the American attack, threatening the Turkish goal three times—including an effort denied by Çakır that rattled the post.
However, the definitive moment arrived deep into eight minutes of added time. Güler evaded his marker in the corner to deliver a cross that caused chaos in the American penalty area. As the defense failed to clear, Ayhan was perfectly positioned to bundle the ball home on virtually the final kick of the match.
“We knew we have a team with a lot of quality and we wanted to show the world that we are better than this,” Kökçü said after the whistle, emphasizing the importance of exiting the tournament on a high note.
United States captain Weston McKennie took a philosophical approach to the defeat, stating, “Everyone wants to go into the next game having won the previous game, but I think it’s going to motivate us even more.”
The United States will now shift their focus to the knockout stages, where they are scheduled to face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
