The United States fell 3-2 to Türkiye on Thursday at Los Angeles Stadium on Matchday 3 in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Auston Trusty and Sebastian Berhalter scored for the U.S., while Arda Güler, Orkun Kökçü and Kaan Ayhan tallied for Türkiye. The U.S. won Group D with six points while Türkiye was eliminated as the last-place finisher with three points.
The United States took an early lead inside three minutes when Berhalter’s corner kick found Trusty at the back post. The center back for reigning Scottish champions Celtic settled the ball before firing it home at the near post for his first career international goal.
Türkiye responded quickly, though, when Güler combined with Bariş Alper Yilmaz on a loose ball in the 10th minute. Yilmaz slipped a ball into the path of Güler in front of goal, and the Real Madrid midfielder smashed in the equalizer past Matt Turner.
The U.S. thought they had taken the lead in the 29th minute when Mark McKenzie cleaned up a save from Uğurcan Çakir, but it was disallowed for offside.
Türkiye doubled its lead in the 31st minute when an excellent piece of team linkup in the final third resulted in a cross from Eren Elmali to the center of the box for Kökçü to slot home.
The Stars and Stripes leveled the match again just after halftime when Berhalter pounced on an attempted clearance off a throw-in. The Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder and son of former U.S. Head Coach Gregg Berhalter hammered a one-timed effort through traffic for his second career international goal.
Berhalter played Christian Pulisic in behind the Türkiye defense in the 62nd minute, and his eventual shot from the end line was blocked by Çakir. Brendan Aaronson had a chance on the rebound, but his effort was scuffed wide.
One minute later, Pulisic redirected a shot that looked destined to sneak in the net, but Çakir dove to deflect it off the far post.
Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz was close to putting Türkiye ahead in the 72nd minute when he cut the ball inside on the left side of the box, but his curling effort just missed wide.
Pulisic was inches away from giving the U.S. the lead in the 77th minute when his left-footed shot off a corner kick routine nearly snuck inside the far post.
Türkiye found a winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Ayhan cleaned up an attempted U.S. clearance at the far post to send Türkiye home with a consolation win.
Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan was unavailable on the bench due to a muscle injury sustained in training leading into the game.
The United States will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday (5 p.m. PT; FOX) at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the knockout rounds after finishing as one of the best third-place teams with four points in Group B.
A United States win in the Round of 32 would send them back to Seattle for a Round of 16 game on Monday, July 6.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
Early starts
For the third match in a row to open this World Cup, the United States found the back of the net inside the first 11 minutes. An own goal in the seventh minute in the opening game against Paraguay, an own goal in the 11th minute against Australia and Trusty’s goal in the third minute on Thursday against Türkiye set the tone for their Group D triumph.
Rest and rotation
With first place in Group D already wrapped up heading into Matchday 3, United States Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino had some room to rest some of his preferred starters ahead of the Round of 32. Pochettino made nine changes from the win over Australia on Matchday 2 with Matt Freese, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman, Sergiño Dest and Folarin Balogun being rotated out. Only Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi were back in the Starting XI.
Pulisic returns
After exiting at halftime of the opening game against Paraguay due to a calf issue, Pulisic returned to the pitch for the first time in the 58th minute against Türkiye. The AC Milan winger is fifth all-time in U.S. Men’s National Team history with 33 goals.
