USMNT Falls 3-2 to Türkiye in Group Finale but Advances with Valuable Lessons

June 25, 2026

As the final whistle sounded at SoFi Stadium, it was hard to know exactly how to feel about the United States men’s national team’s 3-2 loss to Türkiye. Should fans be frustrated by the late winner? Or encouraged that several less experienced players showed real growth as the game went on?

The truth is probably somewhere in between. In the first half, the U.S. often looked a step slow against Türkiye’s technical quality. But the Americans showed real character after halftime, fighting back to the brink of a 2-2 draw. Then, in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Kaan Ayhan struck to give Türkiye a 3-2 victory. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but one that offers a valuable lesson heading into the knockout stages.

Many of the players didn’t see it as a setback.

“I think tonight was maybe just a half-step back, but we know that to beat good teams, we have to play 90-plus minutes of hard football,” said defender Chris Richards, who was rested. “We’re looking at the positives. Every game has things you can learn from, so we’re treating this as a learning opportunity rather than a gut punch.”

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was quick to put the result in perspective, reminding everyone who was advancing.

“The mood is like we’re going home tonight and Türkiye is staying,” he said. “I need to remind you and everyone: we won the group. Sorry guys, we won.”

The performance was far from perfect, with big swings between strong and shaky moments — exactly what you might expect from a heavily rotated lineup. The biggest positive was the return of Christian Pulisic. He came on in the 58th minute (his first action since the opening match against Paraguay) and immediately made the attack look more fluid and dangerous. Before he entered, the U.S. had relied heavily on set pieces. His presence showed just how much better this team can be with its star player on the field.

Pochettino had signaled the rotation beforehand, especially with key starters Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, and Richards all on yellow cards. The goal was to avoid suspensions ahead of the round of 32. With first place in the group already secured and Türkiye already eliminated, there was little at stake competitively. It was the perfect chance to give bench players valuable minutes.

Only Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi kept their starting spots. On the other side, Türkiye’s coach Vincenzo Montella also rotated heavily (seven changes), but kept dangerous attackers Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız.

The game was chaotic from the start. Auston Trusty gave the U.S. a dream 3rd-minute lead when Sebastian Berhalter’s corner fell to him at the far post. But a 19th-minute yellow card on Berhalter seemed to ignite Türkiye, who scored twice before halftime — first through Güler in the 10th minute, then Orkun Kökçü in the 31st. Center backs Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson had difficult moments on both goals, and the midfield offered little protection.

The second half told a different story. A revitalized U.S. side clawed its way back, with Berhalter smashing home a long-range equalizer in the 49th minute. The Americans had chances to take the lead, but Türkiye struck at the death.

“I think at times we could have controlled the game better and kept the ball in their half more effectively,” Berhalter said. “The first half felt a bit all over the place. But this group was ready to play, and I’m proud of everyone.”

Was Pochettino right to rotate? Even with the loss, the answer is yes. If the U.S. wants to go deep in this tournament, squad depth will be crucial. Several fringe players gained important experience, and the comeback showed real resilience. A late lapse in concentration was painful, but it served as a reminder that focus must be maintained until the very end.

Even in defeat, there are reasons for optimism. Pulisic’s return boosts the team’s belief — the attack simply isn’t the same without him. While he had one costly moment (getting nutmegged before the winner), his dynamic play will be essential in the knockout rounds. The depth questions remain, particularly at the back and in goal, but with yellow cards reset and regular starters returning, the team should look much stronger next time out.

As defender McKenzie put it: “Every game is important. We wanted to win, and unfortunately we didn’t, but it’s another step for this group to figure out what we need to improve. Now we recover, regroup, and go again for the round of 32.”