INGLEWOOD, Calif. — This night, from its beginning, was always going to be a celebration for the U.S. national team.
Not a coronation, because there is much more work to be done before this World Cup can be considered a resounding success for the home side.
But a celebration — as Group D winners for the work that was done in the previous two matches before kickoff against Turkey on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.
This represented the rarest of rarities for the U.S. in World Cup play in that no result was needed in the third and final group match — whether it be to advance to the knockout round or seeding/positioning for it.
Never in America’s history in the World Cup has it been in this position of power before, playing a third group match without a shred of angst.
Thanks to the resounding victories over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0), this night was always going to be a 90-minute no-stress express for the Americans. They could have lost 6-0 to Turkey and still moved on to the round of 32 as winners of Group D.
No result — win, lose or draw — could enhance or deter the U.S. positioning for its first knockout-round match, July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif., against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Still, the Americans wanted this one, burning to make history as the first U.S. team to win all three matches in group play.
United States of America midfielder Alejandro Zendejas and Turkey midfielder Salih Ozcan go for the ball in the second half of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Turkey against USA, in Los Angeles, USA, 25 June 2026. CHRISTOPHER TORRES/EPA/Shutterstock
They wanted the nine points, the final three coming from Thursday night, and they didn’t come.
The U.S., by virtue of a 3-2 loss on a killer Turkey game-winner coming in the 98th minute, would fail to add to the six points it accumulated in the first two group matches.
“I think we deserved more out of that game,” Sebastian Berhalter, who scored the second of the two U.S. goals, said. “We slipped in the last second of the game, and I think we’re proud of the performance we put in. I think the guys did well, and we fought, and unfortunately didn’t get the result, but we’ll be ready for [the knockout round].”
“I’m not worried at all,” Brenden Aaronson said. “The team’s in a great spot. It was two quality plays where [Turkey] scored, and there’s not much you can do about it, you’ve got to move on.
“The reaction in the second half was very, very good. We came back out, tied the game up. But of course they score in the last minute — credit to them.”
With nine new starters from the previous match, the U.S. began the game with a palpable hunger and intensity.
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Two minutes and 15 seconds in, Auston Trusty drilled a left-footed rocket into the back of the Turkey net to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead and send the capacity crowd into a frenzy.
Immediately after the goal, Trusty and his teammates sprinted to the team bench on the sideline and celebrated wildly.
It was the third consecutive game that the U.S. jumped to a lead in the first minutes, and this looked like it really was going to be a walkover.
United States of America forward Christian Pulisic in action. CHRISTOPHER TORRES/EPA/ShutterstockThe U.S. euphoria, however, was short-lived as Turkey, which entered the match having taken a record 62 shots in its first two games without scoring a goal, delivered two of them in a span of 21 minutes to take a 2-1 lead into the half.
It was an Arda Güler goal just seven minutes after the Trusty tally that tied it at 1-1 in the 10th minute. And then Orkun Kökçü gave Turkey a 2-1 lead in the 31st minute.
This marked the first time the U.S. has faced even a hint of adversity in this World Cup. It was the first time the Americans have trailed.
Of most concern was that both goals came on U.S. defensive breakdowns.
On the first, it was Bronx-born Mark McKenzie letting a ball go in the midfield, leaving Turkey on a fast break after having broken down the U.S. defense.
On the second, Long Island’s Joe Scally got caught inside and McKenzie stood frozen in front of the goal mouth as Kökçü beat U.S. No. 2 keeper Matt Turner, who had no chance.
USMNT Mauricio Pochettino talks to the media during a press conference one day ahead of their match against Turkey at Los Angeles Stadium on June 24, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif. Getty ImagesTurkey was looking to spoil the massive American party, and it had the U.S. playing on the back foot for the rest of the first half.
In somewhat of a surprise, U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino sent the same 11 out for the second half.
And he was rewarded when Sebastian Berhalter tied it at 2-2 just 3:06 into the second half. It was his second career goal for the U.S., and it was a beauty: a low, skidding blast from just outside the box.
The goal ignited the U.S. side, which added Christian Pulisic to the pitch as a sub in the 58th minute to roars from the capacity crowd.
And Pulisic wasted little time, with several big scoring chances shortly after he subbed in, once hitting the post with a shot off his shin in the 63rd minute.
In the end, it wasn’t the result the Americans wanted.
Still, they’ll march into the knockout round with reasons to celebrate thanks to the great start, rebounding from the breakdowns, handling the adversity in the second half, and the positives from Pulisic … there was reason to celebrate for the Americans as they move on to the knockout stage.
