Turkey snatch late win over USA, who face Bosnia and Herzegovina next in World Cup knockout phase
The US men’s national team suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Turkey on Thursday evening, with Kaan Ayhan’s goal in the dying seconds – the last kick of the game – condemning them to their first loss of the tournament in front of 70,492 fans at Los Angeles Stadium.
Late Heartbreak
The dagger arrived in the closing moments. Turkey’s Arda Güler slipped free of two defenders on the corner, delivering a cross that found Ayhan completely unmarked at the far post. He made no mistake with his finish, abruptly changing the mood in the stands and inside the US locker room. It was a cruel end for a side that had fought back from a two-goal deficit, only to be undone by a lapse in defensive concentration when it mattered most.
Early Promise
The Americans had begun brightly, as they had against Paraguay and Australia in their earlier group-stage wins. Defender Auston Trusty – who made his World Cup debut against Australia on June 19 and earned his first start against Turkey – opened the scoring with a surprise strike. The goal came from a Sebastian Berhalter corner kick that was lofted and landed at the feet of the unmarked Trusty, who finished from a tight angle and sprinted to the sideline, wrapping manager Mauricio Pochettino in a fierce embrace. It was the third early goal in as many games for the US, continuing a trend of fast starts.
Defensive Frailties Exposed
But after taking the lead, the US backline crumpled under pressure in crucial moments, conceding two goals before half-time – the first time the Americans had trailed in the tournament. The equaliser came from Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler in the 10th minute, who pounced on a scattered defence with a knifing run, using Barış Alper Yılmaz as a screen before losing Mark McKenzie and finishing past goalkeeper Matt Turner. Turkey’s second goal, scored by Orkun Kökçü in the 31st minute, also exploited individual battles lost. Weston McKennie – the only holdover from the starting XIs against Paraguay and Australia – was beaten in the air, allowing Turkey to execute a third-man pattern play that left Joe Scally stranded. Eren Elmalı’s cutback to Kökçü had enough pace to find the net without a clean finish.
The defensive issues were a familiar concern. Manager Mauricio Pochettino had reverted to a traditional flat back four for the dead rubber, the same look that Belgium exploited en route to a 5-2 victory in a March friendly, and one the US had struggled to defend with for most of 2025. The fluid backline that had blitzed through Paraguay and Australia was absent, and the frailty proved costly.
Second-Half Fightback and Final Defeat
The US looked a transformed side from the moment the second half began – pressing more aggressively, tightening up defensively, and shaking off the lacklustre energy of the opening stanza. Sebastian Berhalter, described as a dead-ball specialist capable of delivering effective corner kicks, equalised with a low, pacy half-volley that dipped inside the near post after a corner went uncleared. He sprinted to the ball, ran past the bench swearing, and slammed it directly onto the centre circle, eager to restart play and find a third.
That third goal never came, though the Americans had their chances. Christian Pulisic, who came on as a substitute and looked bright after returning from injury, saw two efforts narrowly miss. In one wild sequence in the 63rd minute, his deflected effort caromed off the crossbar before McKennie’s follow-up was blocked. Despite the fightback, Turkey’s late winner ensured the US would leave the pitch with fresh questions.
Rotation and Injuries
Much will be made of Pochettino’s decision to almost fully rotate his squad for a match that was a dead rubber – the US had already secured top spot in Group D with a game to spare, having recorded historic milestones including the most goals in a single World Cup match and two straight tournament wins for the first time in the modern era. McKennie was the only holdover from the previous starting XIs, and Pochettino was limited in his options by a quad injury to Seattle Sounders captain Cristian Roldan, who suffered a muscle strain on the last kick of a training session and missed the match. Roldan’s leadership was missed in a midfield that lacked the dangerous fluidity of earlier wins.
The US now advance to the last 32, where they will face Bosnia and Herzegovina – a side appearing at only their second World Cup, having qualified via the UEFA play-offs after defeating Wales and Italy. Bosnia made their debut in 2014 in Brazil, where they secured their first win (3-1 against Iran) but finished third in their group. Their squad features veteran captain and record appearance holder Edin Džeko, managed by Sergej Barbarez. The knockout stage, expanded to a round of 32 under the new 48-team format, begins on June 28. For the Americans, the lessons of this defeat – particularly the defensive breakdowns under pressure – will need to be absorbed quickly. The team has preached collective accountability throughout the tournament. Whether that ethos translates into a response on the pitch against Bosnia will determine if this late hit becomes a turning point or a warning sign.
