Türkiye ended its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a dramatic high, scoring with the final kick of the match to stun the United States 3-2 before a sold-out crowd at SoFi Stadium on Thursday night. Defender Kaan Ayhan slid home the winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time, giving the eliminated Turks their lone victory of the tournament while handing the Americans their first defeat after already securing first place in Group D.
Despite the loss, the United States had already clinched the group title with victories over Paraguay and Australia and now turns its attention to the Round of 32, where coach Mauricio Pochettino’s squad will face Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday.
The thrilling finish capped one of the most entertaining matches of the group stage. With seconds remaining, Can Uzun found space on the back post and calmly squared the ball past a sprawling Matt Turner. Ayhan arrived at the perfect moment, sliding in to tap home the decisive goal and silence the American faithful.
The dramatic conclusion spoiled what had begun as another memorable night for the United States.
The Americans struck just three minutes into the contest when Sebastian Berhalter delivered a long, lofted corner that found Auston Trusty inside the penalty area. The defender powered his finish inside the far post, sending the SoFi Stadium crowd into celebration. The goal was the United States’ seventh of the tournament, matching the nation’s highest goal total ever before the knockout rounds of a World Cup.
Trusty’s strike also carried tournament significance, becoming the 173rd goal of the 2026 World Cup and breaking the record for the most combined goals scored in a single World Cup, surpassing the mark established in Qatar four years earlier despite being achieved in four fewer matches.
Türkiye responded quickly.
Just seven minutes later, Barış Alper Yılmaz combined brilliantly with Arda Güler, whose composed finish leveled the match in the 10th minute. The 21-year-old Real Madrid midfielder continued to dictate the attack throughout the opening half.
Güler was instrumental again in the 31st minute, initiating a move that eventually led to Orkun Kökçü firing home from close range. Türkiye made the most of its opportunities, converting both of its shots on target in the first half to carry a 2-1 advantage into the break.
The United States came out aggressively after halftime.
Only four minutes into the second half, Berhalter chased down a loose ball nearly 20 yards from goal and unleashed a powerful strike that beat goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, leveling the match at 2-2 and reigniting the home crowd.
Although the result had little impact on the standings, the atmosphere remained electric throughout the evening as American supporters embraced their team’s strong start to the home World Cup.
Pochettino, having already secured qualification, rotated heavily by making nine changes to his starting lineup. However, one of the night’s biggest moments came in the 58th minute when Christian Pulisic made his long-awaited return after missing nearly two weeks with a calf injury suffered during the opening victory over Paraguay.
The AC Milan star received a thunderous ovation as he entered for Tim Weah and immediately showcased his sharpness. Within minutes, Pulisic created a dangerous chance with a dazzling run down the left flank before narrowly missing a goal himself in the 63rd minute. His quick effort off another excellent Berhalter pass was brilliantly tipped onto the post by Çakır, and Brenden Aaronson was unable to convert the rebound from point-blank range.
The missed opportunity proved costly.
As the match drifted deep into stoppage time, Türkiye continued to press for one final chance. It arrived with virtually the last touch of the contest, as Uzun’s perfectly weighted pass found Ayhan for the dramatic winner that gave Türkiye a memorable sendoff from the tournament.
While the victory came too late to keep Türkiye alive in the competition, it served as a statement of resilience after the team had already been eliminated.
For the United States, the defeat does little to diminish an impressive group-stage campaign. Pochettino’s side still finishes atop Group D and now shifts its focus to the knockout rounds, where Bosnia-Herzegovina awaits in a Round of 32 showdown as the Americans continue their pursuit of a deep run on home soil.
