The United States men’s national soccer team entered its final World Cup group-stage match with a place in the knockout round already secured, but a dramatic late goal handed the Americans a 3-2 loss to Türkiye in Los Angeles.
According to Fox News, the defeat marked the United States’ first setback of the tournament, though it had no impact on the team’s advancement.
Mauricio Pochettino’s squad had already clinched a spot in the Round of 32 before kickoff and used the match to rotate much of its lineup ahead of next week’s knockout stage.
The Americans made an electric start in front of a sold-out crowd when Auston Trusty headed home a corner from Sebastian Berhalter just three minutes into the contest. The early strike sent the home fans into celebration and briefly gave the U.S. momentum.
Türkiye answered quickly.
Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler found the back of the net just seven minutes later after taking advantage of defensive lapses to level the match. The visitors continued to pressure the Americans and grabbed a 2-1 lead before halftime when Orkun Kökçü finished off a well-worked attacking sequence inside the penalty area.
Pochettino introduced Christian Pulisic after halftime as the U.S. captain returned from the calf injury that limited him earlier in the tournament. His presence immediately energized the American attack.
Only three minutes into the second half, sustained pressure created another opportunity for Berhalter, who fired a low shot through traffic to even the score at 2-2.
Both sides created chances during an entertaining final stretch. Pulisic nearly put the United States back in front, but his left-footed effort narrowly missed the target.
With stoppage time approaching and the match seemingly headed for a draw, Türkiye delivered one final blow.
Kaan Ayhan scored on the last shot of the game, sliding in to finish the decisive goal moments before the final whistle and secure a 3-2 victory for Türkiye despite the team’s elimination from the tournament.
While the result denied the United States a perfect group-stage record, the bigger objective remains intact. The Americans now shift their attention to the Round of 32, where they will continue their pursuit of a deep World Cup run.
The United States is scheduled to play its knockout-round match on July 1 at 8 p.m. in the San Francisco Bay Area.