In their final Group D match, which had no bearing on qualification, Turkey pulled off a shock 3-2 victory over host nation USA thanks to a late strike from defender Kaan Ayhan. The defeat was the first for the United States at the 2026 World Cup, snapping their perfect run.
Having already secured a spot in the Round of 32 as group winners, USA fielded a heavily rotated lineup (nine changes) to conserve energy for their knockout clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Turkey, already eliminated and goalless after losses to Paraguay and Australia, played for pride.
Despite the low stakes, a packed SoFi Stadium generated a fervent atmosphere. USA started brightly when Celtic defender Auston Trusty scored his first international goal with a header in the 3rd minute, the second-fastest goal in US World Cup history.
But Turkey refused to wilt. Just seven minutes later, Real Madrid star Arda Guler equalized after combining with Baris Alper Yilmaz. In the 31st minute, Yilmaz put Turkey ahead 2-1 from an Eren Elmali assist.
The second half saw drama unfold as Sebastian Berhalter leveled the score at 2-2 for USA with a long-range strike in the 49th minute. The crowd roared when coach Mauricio Pochettino brought on Christian Pulisic in the 60th minute; the star, returning from injury, hit the post with a shot.
However, deep into stoppage time, Kaan Ayhan sealed a 3-2 win for Turkey, forcing USA to regroup after the final whistle and refocus ahead of the knockout stage.
