Ayhan strikes in the 98th minute to hand Türkiye a consolation victory over an already-qualified United States team. The result does not alter the final Group D standings.
Türkiye’s FIFA World Cup 2026 journey ended with a bittersweet victory at SoFi Stadium, as Vincenzo Montella’s side defeated the United States 3-2 thanks to Kaan Ayhan’s dramatic stoppage-time winner.
Already eliminated after defeats against Australia and Paraguay, the Crescent-Stars had little more than pride to play for. The Americans, meanwhile, had already secured qualification to the Round of 32 and only needed a point to guarantee first place in Group D.
The match started perfectly for Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
After just three minutes, Chris Richards delivered a dangerous ball into the area and Trusty reacted quickest to put the United States ahead. The early goal suggested another comfortable evening for the hosts, but Türkiye showed the fighting spirit that had been missing in its previous outings.
Only seven minutes later, Arda Güler brought his side level with a composed finish after exploiting a lapse in the American defense. The momentum shifted completely and, shortly after the half-hour mark, Barış Alper Yılmaz completed the comeback, giving Türkiye a deserved 2-1 advantage at halftime.
The United States responded immediately after the restart. Gianluca Busio’s replacement Sebastian Berhalter found space inside the box and calmly slotted home the equalizer in the 49th minute.
With qualification already secured, Pochettino rotated several players and introduced Christian Pulisic midway through the second half, but the Americans struggled to regain control against an increasingly determined Turkish side.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, the match appeared destined to end in a draw.
Instead, Türkiye found one final moment of joy. In the eighth minute of added time, substitute Kaan Ayhan rose highest inside the penalty area and powered home the winning goal, allowing Montella and his players to leave the tournament with heads held high.
The victory was not enough to avoid elimination, but it offered a positive ending after a disappointing World Cup campaign. The United States, meanwhile, advances to the Round of 32 and will face one of the best third-placed teams on July 2.
Match Report
Türkiye 3-2 USA
Scorers:
3′ Trusty (USA)
10′ Güler (TUR)
31′ Yılmaz (TUR)
49′ Berhalter (USA)
90+8′ Ayhan (TUR)
Türkiye (4-2-3-1)
Çakir; Çelik (84′ Söyüncü), Elmali, Bardakci, Kabak; Özcan, Kökçü (88′ Ayhan); Güler, Yıldız (84′ Uzun), Yılmaz (92′ Kahveci); Aydin (92′ Müldür).
Coach: Vincenzo Montella
USA (4-3-3)
Turner; Trusty, Robinson, McKenzie, Scally (77′ Freeman); Reyna (76′ Dest), McKennie (86′ Tillman), Berhalter; Pepi, Aaronson (77′ Zendejas), Weah (58′ Pulisic).
Coach: Mauricio Pochettino
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
Yellow Cards: Berhalter
Red Cards: None
Group D Final Standings
| Pos | Team | PG | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 6 |
| 2 | Australia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| 3 | Paraguay | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 6 |
| 4 | Türkiye | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 3 |
Qualified for the Round of 32: 🇺🇸 USA (Group Winners), 🇦🇺 Australia (Runners-up)
Eliminated: 🇵🇾 Paraguay, 🇹🇷 Türkiye
