INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The U.S. men’s national team’s dream World Cup had to hit a snag somewhere.
That it happened on Thursday night after Mauricio Pochettino rolled out a side with nine of 11 starters rotated in a dead rubber group stage finale is, at least, hard to get that worked up about.
Still, Kaan Ayhan’s winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time to secure a 3-2 Turkish victory left the U.S. somewhere between defiant and deflated.
“The vibe is like we go home tonight and Turkey stayed,” Pochettino said, miffed at the negative questions he was getting and confused at the notion his team might have lost momentum.
Turkey’s Kaan Ayhan (right) celebrates scoring his side’s game-winning goal in their 3-2 win over the United States in a World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif. on June 25, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. TerrillIn fairness to the manager, there was little we learned on Thursday that we didn’t already know, or at least suspect. The defensive depth is a problem, Christian Pulisic is a game-changer, the U.S. is facing Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 next week.
The two big positives from the night start with Pulisic playing the final 32 minutes after coming on for Tim Weah, getting the minutes he needed and adding some much-needed oomph after Weah had struggled badly. Second, the team’s heart and fight after Sebastian Berhalter woke them up with a 49th-minute smash from 20 yards that tied the game at two is nothing but commendable.
Pulisic’s impact, in a moment where the U.S. was already gaining momentum, was immediate. He was dynamic on the ball, creative and willing to take on defenders, functioning as a reminder of how unique his ability is to this team.
“He always makes such a difference,” Brenden Aaronson said.
As for Pulisic, he streamed through the mixed zone without taking questions.
In choosing to keep only Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi from the starting XI against Australia in Seattle, though, Pochettino will have been willing to take the risk of a loss in the name of a clean bill of health, and he more or less admitted it while saying in Spanish, “We did want to win, but there were other things that we needed to balance out.”
He went for three points late, though, bringing on regular starters Sergiño Dest and Alex Freeman along with Alex Zendejas in a bid for the winner.
United States’ Sebastian Berhalter (14) assists teammate Auston Trusty (6) to his feet during their loss to Turkey. AP Photo/Gregory BullThat never did come. After the hydration break, Turkey looked the slightly more threatening side, though both had their chances.
“I think at certain times we could have controlled the game a little better,” Berhalter said. “Positioning, too. First half, felt like we were a little all over the place. Maybe had too many guys behind the ball and not enough in front of the ball. But again, this was a group that was ready and itching to play.”
Auston Trusty’s injury — he said afterward he rolled his ankle and had hamstring cramps — with mere minutes to go put a damper on the night, and left the U.S. to finish out stoppage time with 10 men, having used all of their substitutions.
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Doing that without ceding a winner proved impossible. Trusty did come back for the final minute, but could only limp around as Turkey finally broke through, the brilliant Arda Güler creating a chance for Ayhan to tap in on the game’s final kick.
The four-man back line of Trusty, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie and Joe Scally looked totally out of its depth. McKenzie was caught flat-footed on Güler’s 10th-minute strike; Scally never saw Orkun Kökçu running in behind him 21 minutes later to hand the Yanks their first deficit of the tournament.
Trusty, at least, put a goal on the board after 134 seconds, smashing the ball in after Berhalter pinged a corner to the far post right onto Trusty’s foot. With that goal three minutes in — following the seven and 11 minutes it took to score against Paraguay and Australia, respectively — it looked like the party would keep rolling. It didn’t.
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic controls the ball during their loss to Turkey. AFP via Getty ImagesBerhalter struggled defensively, getting booked early, but made up for it with the ball at his feet. Four minutes into the second half, he corked one from outside the box to tie the game at two.
“No tournament is perfect,” Tyler Adams said, having watched this one from the bench. “You live and you learn. I think a lot of guys will take lessons from that game.”
The Americans, meanwhile, are still waiting to break a losing streak against European competition that has stretched nearly five years, all the way back to Dec. 18, 2021.
Turkey’s forward Kenan Yildiz and US midfielder Weston McKennie fight for the ball. AFP via Getty ImagesThe team they beat that day, not too far from here in Carson? Bosnia and Herzegovina.
