Turkey score a late winner to beat USA 3-2 in World Cup 2026
Turkey score a late winner to beat USA 3-2 in World Cup 2026 in one of the most thrilling matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D, as substitute Kaan Ayhan struck in the 98th minute to hand Turkey a dramatic victory over tournament co-hosts the United States in Los Angeles.
Although the victory was not enough to keep Turkey in the competition, it provided a memorable farewell after two frustrating defeats. The USA, meanwhile, had already secured top spot in Group D before kick-off and now turn their attention to a USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Round of 32 clash.
The five-goal thriller also marked the long-awaited Christian Pulisic Return, with the American captain making his comeback from injury and nearly inspiring his side to victory.
Turkey vs USA: A Fast Start from the Hosts
The Turkey vs USA encounter exploded into life almost immediately as the United States took the lead inside three minutes.
From a perfectly delivered corner kick, defender Auston Trusty found himself completely unmarked inside the penalty area. The Celtic defender calmly fired a low finish beyond Turkish goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir to give the home supporters an early reason to celebrate.
The goal arrived after just two minutes and 13 seconds, making it the second-fastest World Cup goal in United States history, behind Clint Dempsey’s famous strike against Ghana in 2014.
Despite making nine changes to the starting lineup, Mauricio Pochettino’s side looked comfortable in the opening exchanges and appeared determined to maintain their unbeaten record in the tournament.
Turkey Finally Find Their Finishing Touch
Turkey entered the match already eliminated after consecutive defeats to Australia and Paraguay.
What frustrated Turkish supporters even more was the fact that their team had managed an astonishing 62 shots across those two games without finding the back of the net.
However, everything changed against the USA.
Vincenzo Montella’s players finally discovered the attacking sharpness that had deserted them throughout the tournament.
Real Madrid star Arda Guler levelled the contest after receiving a clever reverse pass from Baris Alper Yilmaz before calmly finishing from close range.
The goal lifted Turkish confidence significantly, and they continued to push forward with purpose.
Soon afterwards, Orkun Kokcu’s powerful effort appeared to take a slight deflection off Baris Yilmaz before beating the goalkeeper, completing a remarkable turnaround.
Within the first half, Turkey had transformed a nightmare start into a deserved 2-1 advantage.
Christian Pulisic Return Boosts USA
One of the biggest talking points before kick-off was the Christian Pulisic Return after recovering from a calf injury.
The American captain began the match on the bench as Mauricio Pochettino carefully managed his fitness ahead of the knockout rounds.
Soon after halftime, Pulisic entered the field to loud applause from the Los Angeles crowd.
By then, Sebastian Berhalter had already restored parity for the United States.
The midfielder struck beautifully from nearly 20 yards, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-2 and reignite American hopes.
Pulisic immediately added creativity and urgency to the attack.
His movement troubled Turkey’s defence repeatedly, and he came agonisingly close to scoring on several occasions.
His best opportunity came when he unleashed a powerful effort that forced Ugurcan Cakir into a magnificent fingertip save, pushing the ball onto the post.
Despite his positive influence, the winning goal would ultimately belong to Turkey.
Kaan Ayhan Winner Stuns USA in Stoppage Time
As both teams searched desperately for a winner, chances arrived at both ends.
Kenan Yildiz curled narrowly wide for Turkey, while Baris Yilmaz missed another excellent opportunity after losing his balance inside the penalty area.
The Americans also continued to threaten, believing they could complete another comeback before the knockout rounds.
Instead, heartbreak arrived deep into stoppage time.
Can Uzun delivered a dangerous cross-shot across the face of goal.
Waiting at the far post was substitute Kaan Ayhan.
The experienced defender reacted quickest, stretching to poke the ball over the goal line from point-blank range.
The Kaan Ayhan Winner arrived in the 98th minute with virtually the final kick of the match, silencing the home supporters and giving Turkey their first World Cup victory since 2002.
It was a goal that perfectly rewarded Turkey’s persistence despite already knowing elimination was unavoidable.
USA Still Finish Top of FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D
Despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament, the result had little impact on the Americans’ overall standing.
The USA had already guaranteed themselves first place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D thanks to their earlier victory over Australia.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team therefore avoided any serious consequences from the defeat and can now focus entirely on the knockout stages.
Rotation also played a major role in the result, with several first-choice players rested ahead of the next challenge.
Although disappointed to lose their unbeaten record, there were encouraging signs for the United States, especially the successful return of Christian Pulisic.
His fitness could prove decisive as the tournament enters its most demanding phase.
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Round of 32 Awaits
Attention now shifts to the eagerly anticipated USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Round of 32 encounter.
The Americans qualified as Group D winners and will face Bosnia-Herzegovina, who progressed as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams from Group B.
The knockout fixture is scheduled to take place in Santa Clara on 2 July.
Pochettino will likely welcome back several rested starters, giving the United States one of their strongest possible lineups.
If Christian Pulisic is fully fit, American supporters will be optimistic about progressing into the Round of 16.
However, defensive lapses shown against Turkey will require immediate improvement if the co-hosts are to continue their World Cup journey.
Turkey Leave With Pride Restored
Although Turkey’s campaign officially ends at the group stage, the victory provides plenty of positives for Vincenzo Montella.
After dominating large portions of their previous matches without scoring, Turkey finally showcased the attacking quality expected from players such as Arda Guler, Baris Alper Yilmaz, Orkun Kokcu and Can Uzun.
The performance demonstrated the exciting future of Turkish football despite the disappointing tournament outcome.
Winning against one of the tournament hosts also restores confidence ahead of future international competitions.
For many Turkish supporters, the late winner represented a fitting reward after watching their side create countless opportunities without success earlier in the tournament.
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Match Summary
The Turkey vs USA clash delivered one of the most entertaining contests of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D, producing five goals, dramatic momentum swings and a memorable finish.
Turkey twice came from behind before the Kaan Ayhan Winner in the 98th minute secured a famous 3-2 victory.
The Christian Pulisic Return offered encouragement for the United States ahead of the knockout rounds, even though the co-hosts suffered their first defeat of the tournament.
While Turkey exit the competition with pride restored, the Americans now prepare for the crucial USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Round of 32, where their World Cup ambitions will truly begin.
References
- Reuters. (2026, June 26). Turkey beat US 3-2 with last-gasp winner in dead rubber in LA. Available at: Reuters – Turkey beat US 3-2 with last-gasp winner in dead rubber in LA
- Reuters. (2026). Turkey at the FIFA World Cup 2026 – Team news, fixtures and tournament coverage. Available at: Reuters – Turkey at the FIFA World Cup 2026
- The Guardian. (2026, June 26). USA suffer late defeat to Turkey but eye Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup knockout stage. Available at: The Guardian – USA suffer late defeat to Turkey but eye Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup knockout stage
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