Turkey vs USA

Turkey vs USA  – FIFA World Cup 2026 Round 31

Match Summary Description Türkiye defeated the United States 3-2 in a dramatic Group D finale. Kaan Ayhan scored the match-winning goal for Türkiye in the 98th minute with the final kick of the match. The game was played at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood, California. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Despite the loss, the USMNT finished first in Group D and advanced to the Round of 32. Türkiye, which had already been mathematically eliminated before kickoff, exited the tournament on a high note with their sole group-stage victory. [1, 2]

Match Timeline and Key Moments

98th Minute (Türkiye 3-2): Deep into seven minutes of added stoppage time, a chaotic play inside the box allowed Can Uzun to square the ball to Kaan Ayhan, who stabbed it home to seal the victory. [1]

3rd Minute (USA 1-0): American defender Auston Trusty opened the scoring early, heading home a corner kick delivered by Sebastian Berhalter. [1, 2]

10th Minute (Türkiye 1-1): Türkiye’s rising star Arda Güler equalised by executing a brilliant sequence with Barış Alper Yılmaz and smashing the ball past Matt Turner. [1]

31st Minute (Türkiye 2-1): Orkun Kökçü put Türkiye ahead before half-time, tapping in a low cutback cross from Eren Elmalı. [1]

49th Minute (USA 2-2): Sebastian Berhalter restored parity early in the second half, drilling a powerful half-volley from the edge of the box after a long throw-in was deflected into his path. [1, 2] .Key Takeaways

Historical Record: Despite the loss, the USMNT set a new domestic record for the highest-scoring group stage in its World Cup history, registering eight goals across three matches

Squad Rotation: Having already secured their spot in the next round, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino fielded a heavily rotated squad featuring nine new starters. [1]

Pulisic’s Return: Star forward Christian Pulisic made his return from a calf injury, subbing onto the pitch in the 58th minute and nearly scoring when his shot rattled the post. [1].

It’s a match of FIFA World Cup 2026 and Group D Group Stage.