Group-winners USA beaten as Turkey restore pride with thrilling victory

Turkey salvaged pride in a dramatic finale to Group D, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat World Cup co-hosts USA 3-2 in Los Angeles. Kaan Ayhan’s 98th-minute strike, a close-range finish from a late cross, settled a chaotic encounter that saw both teams trade blows before the knockout stage. The result confirmed the USA’s progress as group winners, setting up a round-of-32 tie with Bosnia-Herzegovina, while Turkey’s exit, already sealed by earlier defeats, offered only fleeting consolation.

From despair to elation in the dying seconds

The match began at a frantic pace, with Auston Trusty putting the USA ahead inside three minutes from a corner. Arda Guler equalised after ten minutes, slotting home with clinical precision to silence the SoFi Stadium crowd. Baris Yilmaz then turned in from close range to give Turkey a lead they would not relinquish until half-time, when Sebastian Berhalter restored parity with a low finish from outside the box. The deadlock held until Christian Pulisic, making his first appearance of the tournament, saw a second-half strike cannon off the post.

With the clock ticking past 90 minutes and extra time looming, Turkey’s substitutes delivered the decisive blow. Kaan Ayhan, introduced late in the game, pounced on a cross from Can Uzun to fire home and complete a remarkable comeback. The goal, Turkey’s first of the tournament after 62 attempts in two prior defeats, arrived with barely seconds remaining, leaving the USA stunned and the Turkish bench in raptures.

USA’s group-stage dominance overshadowed by late stumble

Despite the loss, the USA secured top spot in Group D and will face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the next round. Their campaign had been built on resilience, but this setback exposed vulnerabilities in the side’s defensive structure. The concession of two goals in quick succession before half-time highlighted lapses in concentration, while Pulisic’s injury return, though valiant, failed to spark the creativity the hosts had anticipated. The missed post strike underscored the fine margins that now separate them from potential elimination.

For Turkey, the victory was a cathartic end to a tournament that had yielded no goals and no points until the final whistle. Vincenzo Montella’s side had managed just 62 shots across their opening two games without finding the net, a statistic that underscored their struggles. The late surge, though insufficient to progress, restored a measure of belief and provided a morale boost ahead of future campaigns.

What comes next: knockout-stage pathways

The USA’s reward for topping Group D is a clash with Bosnia-Herzegovina, a side that finished third in Group B. Their path forward hinges on tighter defensive organisation and a more clinical edge in attack, areas that were exposed against Turkey. Pulisic’s fitness and form will be critical, as will the ability of the backline to withstand early pressure.

Turkey’s tournament ends here, but the 98th-minute winner offers a template for their future. Montella’s side showed they can compete in bursts, and the introduction of fresh legs proved decisive. The focus now shifts to rebuilding for upcoming qualifiers, with an emphasis on converting possession into goals—a lesson painfully learned in Los Angeles.

As the knockout stages approach, the contrast between promise and peril has rarely been sharper. The USA must regroup quickly, while Turkey departs with a glimmer of hope and a reminder of what might have been.