Ayhan’s 98th-Minute Strike Hands Türkiye 3-2 Win Over USA

Rotated USA Pay Late Price Against a Resurgent Türkiye

With qualification already secured, Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to the side that beat Australia, and the gamble nearly paid off. Auston Trusty gave the hosts an early lead in the third minute from a corner, only for Arda Güler, on a night when he was named the match’s standout performer, to equalise swiftly and become Türkiye’s youngest ever World Cup goalscorer.

Baris Yilmaz put Vincenzo Montella’s side 2-1 ahead just before the half-hour, but Sebastian Berhalter’s powerful strike from the edge of the box four minutes into the second half restored parity. Christian Pulisic, returning from a calf injury, came off the bench in the 58th minute and created several opportunities, yet the Americans could not find a winner.

Instead, it was Türkiye who broke the deadlock in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Kaan Ayhan stabbed home from close range after the USA defence failed to clear, completing a morale-boosting win for a side that had been eliminated after losing their first two group matches without scoring.

Güler’s Quick Response and Ayhan’s Late Clincher

Trusty’s third-minute opener from a corner set the tone, but Güler’s equaliser just seven minutes later, after combining with Yilmaz to slice through the US backline, changed the match’s character entirely.

Yilmaz then put Türkiye ahead at the half-hour, before Berhalter’s ferocious finish levelled proceedings. The decisive moment arrived deep in stoppage time when Ayhan pounced on a defensive lapse to make it 3-2 and secure all three points.

Güler Lights Up Los Angeles in History-Making Cameo

Arda Güler was the match’s standout player and its defining figure in the opening exchanges. The Real Madrid youngster equalised in the 10th minute, becoming Türkiye’s youngest World Cup goalscorer in the process, and his combination play with Yilmaz repeatedly exposed a reshuffled US defensive line.

On a tournament night when Türkiye had little left to play for in terms of standings, Güler provided the individual quality that justified the pre-tournament expectation around him.

USA’s Focus Shifts Quickly to Bosnia-Herzegovina

Sebastian Berhalter picked up a yellow card in the 19th minute, an accumulation risk Pochettino will need to monitor heading into the knockout phase.

More broadly, the defeat exposed vulnerabilities in USA’s second-choice defensive unit, gaps that a sharper Round of 32 opponent could exploit. USA midfielder Weston McKennie struck a measured tone after the match, saying “Türkiye were very clinical and finished their chances” before adding that the squad’s full depth gives him confidence going forward.

Despite the loss, USA’s record of six points from three group matches was described as their best ever group-stage finish. Pochettino’s side now face Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, a side that qualified from Group A with four points. The co-hosts will expect to have their first-choice lineup available, with Pulisic’s calf fitness the principal concern to manage.