Turkiye 3-2 USA - 2026 World Cup Match Report and Player Ratings

USA Top Group as Turkiye Finally Score (Thrice)

A thrilling encounter between the USA and Turkiye rounded off the antics in Group D, as the latter scored with the last kick of the game to win whilst the former topped the group.

An early goal for Auston Trusty was soon cancelled out by Arda Guler before Orkun Kökcü stuck Turkiye into the lead, but a brilliant Sebastian Berhalter hit from the edge of the box would bring them level. In a tense second half, it would be Kaan Ayhan to tap home with the very last kick of the game to claim an incredible late winner as a consolation for a damaged Turkiye.

As was decided on matchday 2, Turkiye will now head home wounded whilst Mauricio Pochettino and co will await a clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.

Turkiye 3-2 USA as it Happened

Things were off to a fast start, as has been the case for all the USA games so far at this World Cup. Gio Reyna won a corner in the opening minute, which was almost glanced home by Weston McKennie at the near post before Auston Trusty forced a good stop from Ugurcan Cakir.

But Trusty would get his goal almost immediately after with the USA taking the lead in the third minute - another corner was swung in from Sebastain Berhalter which fell kindly for the Celtic defender at the back post. He took a touch to steady himself, before wrapping a powerful shot under Cakir to take the lead.

But the early American celebrations would be cut short as Turkiye finally scored their first goal of the World Cup with their 62nd shot of the tournament. Some incisive play around the right-hand side between Baris Yilmaz and Arda Guler saw the Real Madrid youngster released into space in the area. He made no mistake when one-on-one with Matt Turner, lashing a powerful hit into the top corner to equalise.

Mark McKenzie thought he had got the USA back in front on the half-hour mark following another good set-piece. The corner came in well again from Berhalter to the head of Miles Robinson who headed on goal. Cakir was kept active to firstly deny Ricardo Pepi to the loose ball, blocked initially by Turkiye, but McKenzie followed up to finish the effort only for the flag to deny him from the initial Robinson header.

And just moments after thinking they had gone 2-1 up, the USA instead went 2-1 down. Good, quick play had seen on-rushing left-back Eren Elmali get free down the left-hand side, where he would cut the ball back perfectly for Orkun Kökcü to lash home a fine finish to put the European side into the ascendancy.

There was a final couple of chances in a shirty first half, with McKennie stinging the diving palms of Cakir with a swerving hit from 30 yards a few minutes before halftime, befoe Trusty came inches away from his second with a powerful, un-obstructed header from another great Berhalter corner as half-time rang out with Turkiye in the lead.

Halftime Score - Turkiye 2-1 USA

USA like their fast starts, don't they? Sebastian Berhalter, heavily involved in the first half, would get Mauricio Pochettino's side level just three minutes into the second half with a gorgeous hit.

A long-throw routine led by McKenzie saw the ball bounced around the area before being cleared as far as the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder on the edge of the area. Under pressure, he laced a sensational half-volley into the bottom-left corner to get the USA back onto level terms.

Christian Pulisic's introduction to the game in place of the disappointing Timothy Weah added some further zip to the American attack. He found space free down the left wing to use his pace in behind and forced Cakir into a save with his knees, the rebound of which fell to Brenden Aaronson who could only stick it wide.

Moments later, Cakir would be forced into another save from Pulisic as his inadvertent poor touch flicked freakishly off of the ground and into the air, which the Galatasaray goalkeeper sacrificed himself for to claw away from danger, receiving treatment for a knock to his arm immediately afterwards.

After Yildiz had curled a rare second-half chance for a shrinking Turkiye wide of the mark, Pulisic did the exact same in a fine substitute performance to almost take the lead for the USA. Set well on the edge of the box, he curled a powerful left-footed effort agonisingly wide of the post as the Americans looked to re-find a lead.

Turkiye managed to pick themselves back up and enjoyed some better possession, but Yilmaz would spurn a golden chance to steal the win for his side. A loose ball over the top saw the powerful Galatasaray winger a chance to muscle past Trusty and get through to Turner but, off-balance from the tussle, he completely missed the ball when he went to strike from close range.

But, incredibly, Turkiye would find a winner with the very last kick of the game. A cross from the right evaded everyone in the area before being brought back across, where substitute Kaan Ayhan would be waiting to tap home an extraordinary winner to damage the USA's confidence going into the knockout stages.

Full-time Score - Turkiye 3-2 USA

Turkiye Player Ratings

• Ugurcan Cakir - 7

• Zeki Celik - 6

• Abdülkerim Bardakci - 6

• Ozan Kabak - 7

• Eren Elmali - 7

• Salih Ozcan - 6

• Orkun Kökcü - 8

• Arda Guler - 8

• Kenan Yildiz - 6

• Oguz Aydin - 6

• Baris Yilmaz - 7

Substitutes

• Caglar Soyuncu (84') - 6

• Can Uzun (84') - 6

• Kaan Ayhan (88') - 8

• Mert Muldur (90') - N/A

• Irfan Kahveci (90') - N/A

USA Player Ratings

• Matt Turner - 6

• Joe Scally - 6

• Miles Robinson - 7

• Auston Trusty - 8

• Mark McKenzie - 7

• Weston McKennie - 8

• Sebastian Berhalter - 8

• Gio Reyna - 6

• Brenden Aaronson - 6

• Timothy Weah - 5

• Ricardo Pepi - 5

Substitutes

• Christian Pulisic (58') - 8

• Sergino Dest (77') - 6

• Alex Zendejas (77') - 5

• Alex Freeman (77') - 6

• Malik Tillman (85') - 6

Man of the Match - Sebastian Berhalter

A goal and an assist for the United States midfielder, as well as an infringement that could have seen him sent off. Some day for the Whitecaps man.

As well as being industrious in the midfield, his idealic set-piece delivery and rocket-powered strike from range ended up being the two decisive factors for Mauricio Pochettino as the USA finished their group top.