Turkey Beats USMNT 3-2 in World Cup Group Stage Finale
5 verified2 unconfirmed1 contested
In their final Group D match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Turkey defeated the United States 3-2 with a goal deep in stoppage time at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The USMNT had already secured the group win and advanced to the knockout stage, while Turkey was eliminated prior to the match. USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino heavily rotated his lineup, fielding a second-string defense and resting several players on yellow cards to avoid suspensions. Christian Pulisic returned from a calf injury as a second-half substitute, but Kaan Ayhan’s 98th-minute winner gave Turkey the victory. The match had no impact on tournament standings for either team.
What’s verified
Turkey won 3-2 in the final group stage match at SoFi Stadium.
The USMNT had already clinched top spot in Group D and advanced to the round of 32.
Turkey was eliminated from the tournament prior to the match.
Christian Pulisic returned from injury and played as a substitute.
Kaan Ayhan scored the winning goal for Turkey in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Where accounts differ
One source reported that the USMNT started goalkeeper Matt Turner, while a preview from another source predicted Matt Freese would start in goal. The actual starting goalkeeper is not uniformly confirmed across sources.
Not yet confirmed
The exact match statistics from Turkey’s coach Vincenzo Montella’s pre-match press conference, such as 62 shots aimed at target, were reported by only one source.
Whether the USMNT’s defensive rotation was entirely different from the predicted lineup.
Key figures
Mauricio Pochettino (USMNT head coach), Vincenzo Montella (Turkey head coach), Christian Pulisic (USMNT forward), Kaan Ayhan (Turkey goalscorer), Arda Guler (Turkey midfielder), Auston Trusty (USMNT goalscorer), Sebastian Berhalter (USMNT midfielder, goal and assist).
Sources: BBC News, CBS Sports, sbnation.com
