The türkiye vs usa clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup produced one of Group D’s most dramatic finishes. Türkiye recovered from an early deficit, took the lead, surrendered an equalizer, and then won 3-2 through substitute Kaan Ayhan deep into second-half stoppage time.
Quick answer: Türkiye defeated the United States 3-2 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 25 local time (June 26 UTC). Auston Trusty opened the scoring for USA before Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz put Türkiye ahead. Sebastian Berhalter equalized after halftime, but Kaan Ayhan scored the decisive goal in the 98th minute.
türkiye vs usa Match Summary
The final Group D game presented very different circumstances for the two national teams.
The United States had already secured a place in the knockout stage and entered the match with six points from its first two games. Türkiye, meanwhile, had lost its opening two matches without scoring and was already eliminated.
That context influenced the USA lineup. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes from the team that had beaten Australia, with Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi the only players retained in the starting XI.
Türkiye, coached by Vincenzo Montella, still had something tangible to pursue: a first victory and first goals of its 2026 World Cup campaign.
| Match detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup |
| Stage | Group D |
| Match | Türkiye vs USA |
| Final score | Türkiye 3-2 USA |
| Venue | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California |
| Date | June 25, 2026 local / June 26 UTC |
| Türkiye scorers | Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Kaan Ayhan |
| USA scorers | Auston Trusty, Sebastian Berhalter |
| Türkiye coach | Vincenzo Montella |
| USA coach | Mauricio Pochettino |
The scoreline alone does not capture how quickly the match changed. The United States scored in the third minute, Türkiye led before the half-hour mark, USA equalized almost immediately after halftime, and the winner did not arrive until the final moments.
türkiye vs usa Goals and Match Timeline
Five goals were spread across a game in which neither team held complete control for long.
3rd minute: Auston Trusty gives USA the lead
USA could hardly have asked for a faster start.
Auston Trusty scored in the third minute, with Sebastian Berhalter involved in the buildup. The early goal immediately put Türkiye under pressure after the Turkish team had failed to score in its previous two group matches.
For a side already eliminated, conceding so early could have turned the final group fixture into a difficult night.
Instead, Türkiye responded.
10th minute: Arda Güler makes it 1-1
Just seven minutes later, Arda Güler equalized.
Barış Alper Yılmaz provided the assist as Güler scored Türkiye’s first goal of the tournament. Opta noted that Türkiye had gone without scoring from its first 62 shots of the 2026 World Cup before Güler converted the team’s 63rd.
The goal immediately changed the rhythm of the match.
Türkiye had spent its opening two fixtures searching for a breakthrough. Against the United States, it needed only ten minutes.
31st minute: Barış Alper Yılmaz completes the turnaround
Türkiye then moved ahead through Barış Alper Yılmaz.
After creating Güler’s equalizer, Yılmaz became the scorer himself in the 31st minute, with Orkun Kökçü supplying the assist. Türkiye had transformed a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 advantage in a little over 20 minutes.
It was an efficient attacking spell.
The United States ultimately registered substantially more shots over the entire match, but Türkiye made better use of its most dangerous opportunities.
49th minute: Sebastian Berhalter responds
USA started the second half almost as quickly as it had started the first.
Sebastian Berhalter scored in the 49th minute to make it 2-2. Having assisted Trusty’s opener, Berhalter now had a goal and an assist.
According to Opta, the United States became the first team since Nigeria against Argentina in 2014 to score inside the opening four minutes of both halves of a World Cup match.
The equalizer created a much more open final phase.
Pochettino also introduced several established USA players from the bench, including Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest and Malik Tillman, as the hosts searched for another goal.
98th minute: Kaan Ayhan wins it
The decisive moment came almost at the end of stoppage time.
Kaan Ayhan had entered in the 88th minute for Orkun Kökçü. Ten minutes later, he scored Türkiye’s third goal to seal a 3-2 victory.
It was effectively the final major action of the match.
For Türkiye, the late goal transformed what could have been remembered simply as an early World Cup exit into a memorable victory over one of the tournament’s co-hosts.
Goal timeline
- 3′ — USA 1-0: Auston Trusty
- 10′ — 1-1: Arda Güler
- 31′ — Türkiye 2-1: Barış Alper Yılmaz
- 49′ — 2-2: Sebastian Berhalter
- 90+8′ — Türkiye 3-2: Kaan Ayhan
Quick Takeaway: USA scored early in both halves, but Türkiye produced the more decisive moments. Güler and Yılmaz overturned the first deficit, while substitute Ayhan settled the game after the United States had fought back to 2-2.
Türkiye vs USA Match Stats
The underlying numbers reveal why the match was more complex than the final score suggests.
USA had more possession and twice as many attempts according to Opta’s match report, but Türkiye generated enough high-quality opportunities to score three times.
| Statistic | Türkiye | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 3 | 2 |
| Total shots | 9 | 18 |
| Possession | 47% | 53% |
| Goals | 3 | 2 |
Different match-data providers can produce slightly different expected-goals totals because xG models use their own calculations. Opta’s post-match analysis recorded Türkiye at 2.71 xG and USA at 2.06, while FotMob displayed 3.05 and 2.13 respectively. The important point is consistent across both models: Türkiye’s nine attempts produced higher-quality scoring opportunities overall than USA’s 18 shots.
That helps explain how Türkiye could be outshot 18-9 yet win.
Shot totals tell you how frequently a team attempts to score. They do not tell you, by themselves, how dangerous those attempts were.
Why Türkiye’s attacking efficiency mattered
Türkiye had entered the match with a remarkable problem: plenty of attempts but no goals.
Opta reported that Montella’s team had failed to score from 62 shots across its defeats against Australia and Paraguay. Then its first two attempts against the United States both resulted in goals.
That is a sharp example of why finishing can transform a team’s results without necessarily requiring overwhelming possession.
Güler’s movement, Yılmaz’s direct attacking contribution and Türkiye’s ability to exploit decisive spaces gave the Turkish side the cutting edge it had lacked earlier in the tournament.
How Türkiye Beat the United States
Türkiye’s victory was not built on controlling every statistical category. Instead, it came from responding effectively to setbacks and turning dangerous situations into goals.
Türkiye refused to let the early goal define the game
Trusty’s third-minute opener gave USA immediate momentum.
A team with nothing left to play for in terms of qualification might have become passive after conceding. Türkiye did the opposite.
Güler equalized seven minutes later, preventing the United States from settling into control. Yılmaz’s goal then completed the turnaround before halftime.
That response was arguably the most important stretch of the match.
Arda Güler gave Türkiye a creative focal point
Arda Güler was central to Türkiye’s attack.
The Real Madrid midfielder’s equalizer ended Türkiye’s long wait for a World Cup goal and demonstrated the technical quality that makes him one of the country’s most prominent attacking players.
His ability to operate between midfield and attack gave Türkiye a player capable of turning limited possession into meaningful attacking sequences.
Alongside him, Kenan Yıldız offered another technically gifted option, while Barış Alper Yılmaz provided a more direct threat.
Barış Alper Yılmaz influenced two goals
Yılmaz’s contribution went beyond his goal.
He assisted Güler for the 10th-minute equalizer before scoring himself in the 31st minute.
Those contributions made him central to Türkiye’s first-half comeback.
His performance also highlights a broader tactical point: Türkiye did not need long periods of possession to threaten USA. Quick progression and direct running created opportunities before the American defensive structure could fully reset.
Kaan Ayhan made the decisive impact from the bench
Ayhan’s appearance demonstrates how substitutions can decide a match even when a player has little time on the pitch.
He replaced Kökçü in the 88th minute and scored in the 98th.
Montella’s substitution therefore produced the game’s defining moment almost immediately.
For a match that had already swung from 1-0 to 1-2 and then 2-2, Ayhan supplied one final change.
What Went Right and Wrong for USA?
The 3-2 defeat needs to be viewed in the context of USA’s group position.
The United States had already won its first two Group D matches and secured first place before facing Türkiye. That allowed Pochettino to rotate heavily. Opta reported nine starting-lineup changes from the previous game against Australia.
USA still created plenty of chances
An 18-9 advantage in shots shows that the United States was far from ineffective going forward.
USA also had 53% possession and repeatedly reached advanced areas.
Berhalter was particularly influential.
He contributed to Trusty’s opener and then scored the second-half equalizer himself. His performance gave the rotated American side an important source of creativity.
The fast starts were a major positive
USA scored in the third minute of the first half and fourth minute of the second.
That suggests the Americans were well prepared to attack immediately after kickoffs.
The problem was sustaining control after gaining those advantages.
After Trusty made it 1-0, Türkiye answered quickly and then scored again. After Berhalter made it 2-2, USA created opportunities but could not find the goal that would restore its lead.
Defensive efficiency was the bigger issue
Türkiye attempted only nine shots, according to Opta, but scored three times.
Allowing an opponent to generate dangerous opportunities from a relatively low number of attempts is something different from simply conceding lots of shots.
USA had more of the ball and more attempts but could not translate those advantages into control of the scoreline.
The heavily rotated lineup provides important context, though. Players such as Christian Pulisic and Sergiño Dest started on the bench rather than playing from the opening whistle.
Türkiye vs USA Lineups and Key Players
The lineup choices help explain how the match developed.
Türkiye used a side featuring established internationals alongside young attacking talent. USA, having already secured its knockout position, used the opportunity to rotate.
Türkiye key starters
Türkiye’s starting group included:
- Uğurcan Çakır
- Zeki Çelik
- Ozan Kabak
- Abdülkerim Bardakcı
- Eren Elmalı
- Salih Özcan
- Orkun Kökçü
- Arda Güler
- Kenan Yıldız
- Oğuz Aydın
- Barış Alper Yılmaz
Kaan Ayhan, Çağlar Söyüncü, Can Uzun, Mert Müldür and İrfan Can Kahveci were among the substitutes used later in the match.
USA key starters
USA’s lineup featured:
- Matt Turner
- Auston Trusty
- Miles Robinson
- Mark McKenzie
- Joe Scally
- Weston McKennie
- Sebastian Berhalter
- Giovanni Reyna
- Brenden Aaronson
- Timothy Weah
- Ricardo Pepi
The bench gave Pochettino several high-profile options, including Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman, Alex Freeman and Alex Zendejas.
Players who shaped the match
Arda Güler: Scored Türkiye’s first goal of the tournament and provided technical quality in attacking areas.
Barış Alper Yılmaz: Assisted Güler before scoring Türkiye’s second goal.
Kaan Ayhan: Entered late and scored the 98th-minute winner.
Sebastian Berhalter: Recorded a goal and was involved in Trusty’s opener.
Auston Trusty: Put USA ahead after only three minutes.
These individual performances explain why the game remained balanced despite major differences in shot volume.
türkiye vs usa Head-to-Head History
The 2026 World Cup meeting was not the first recent encounter between the two countries.
Türkiye and USA had played an international friendly on June 7, 2025, at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Jack McGlynn gave the United States the lead in the first minute of that match. Türkiye responded through Arda Güler in the 24th minute and Kerem Aktürkoğlu three minutes later to win 2-1.
That game had an interesting similarity to the 2026 World Cup meeting: USA scored extremely early, only for Türkiye to respond with two goals.
Before that 2025 friendly, meetings between the senior men’s national teams had been relatively infrequent.
The 2026 World Cup game therefore added a major competitive chapter to a matchup that had previously been associated mostly with friendlies and tournament encounters rather than a regular rivalry.
Recent meetings
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2026 UTC | FIFA World Cup | Türkiye 3-2 USA |
| June 7, 2025 | International friendly | USA 1-2 Türkiye |
Türkiye won both of these recent meetings by a single goal.
What the Result Meant for World Cup Group D
Despite losing türkiye vs usa, the United States still finished first in Group D.
USA completed the group stage with six points from three matches: two wins and one defeat. Türkiye finished with three points after losing its opening two games and beating the Americans in its final fixture.
The final standings listed USA first with six points, Australia second with four, Paraguay third with four and Türkiye fourth with three.
| Team | Played | Points | Goal Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 3 | 6 | +4 |
| Australia | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Paraguay | 3 | 4 | -2 |
| Türkiye | 3 | 3 | -2 |
So the result had contrasting consequences.
For USA, the loss ended the team’s perfect group-stage record but did not cost first place.
For Türkiye, the victory could not reverse elimination, but it ensured the team left the competition with a win and finally converted the attacking opportunities it had struggled to finish earlier in the group.
Why the 3-2 Result Was Unusual
Several details make this match more interesting than a routine final group fixture.
First, Türkiye’s finishing changed dramatically. After failing to score from its first 62 shots of the tournament, the team scored with its first two attempts against USA.
Second, USA scored almost immediately after both kickoffs. Trusty struck in the third minute and Berhalter in the 49th.
Third, the match remained undecided until the eighth minute of stoppage time.
And finally, the statistical profile was unusual: USA doubled Türkiye’s shot total, yet Türkiye generated strong expected-goals numbers and won the game.
This is why reading only possession or shot totals can give an incomplete picture of a football match.
Shots versus shot quality
Suppose Team A takes 18 shots, many from difficult angles or long range, while Team B takes nine shots primarily from central positions close to goal.
Team A has twice as many attempts.
Team B may still have created the better chances.
Expected goals attempts to measure this difference by estimating the probability that a particular chance will result in a goal based on factors such as shot location and situation.
That principle helps explain the Türkiye-USA numbers.
Although the specific xG total varies between data providers, both Opta and FotMob’s models gave Türkiye a higher expected-goals figure despite USA’s greater shot volume.
What the Match Showed About Türkiye
Türkiye’s World Cup campaign had already been defined by missed opportunities before this match.
Against USA, the finishing finally arrived.
Güler and Yılmaz gave the attack a combination of technical quality and directness, while Kökçü helped connect midfield with the forward line.
Perhaps more significantly, Türkiye showed resilience twice.
The team responded immediately after conceding the opening goal, then remained dangerous after Berhalter’s second-half equalizer.
Ayhan’s stoppage-time winner was the reward.
The performance could not change Türkiye’s position in Group D, but it demonstrated that the team’s earlier lack of goals did not necessarily reflect an inability to create chances.
What the Match Showed About USA
USA’s defeat also needs perspective.
Pochettino had already guided the team to two group victories and first place was secured before kickoff. Heavy rotation was therefore understandable.
The alternative lineup still scored twice and generated 18 shots.
Players such as Berhalter and Trusty made tangible contributions, while Pulisic, Dest and other regulars could be introduced from the bench rather than carrying a full-match workload.
The negative side was defensive.
Türkiye repeatedly punished openings despite having fewer attempts. Conceding three goals from nine shots demonstrated the risk of allowing opponents high-value chances, even when overall territorial and shooting numbers look favorable.
For tournament football, that lesson matters because knockout matches offer far less room to recover from individual defensive moments.
Key Takeaways From Türkiye vs USA
The 2026 türkiye vs usa World Cup match is best understood as a contest of efficiency rather than dominance.
USA produced more shots and slightly more possession, but Türkiye converted the more decisive moments.
Güler ended Türkiye’s tournament-long scoring drought. Yılmaz contributed a goal and an assist. Berhalter responded with an influential goal-and-assist performance for the United States. Then Ayhan, introduced only minutes earlier, scored the winner in the 98th minute.
The final result was Türkiye 3-2 USA.
It did not change the United States’ position at the top of Group D, and it could not save Türkiye from elimination. But as a standalone match, it delivered five goals, two comebacks, contrasting tactical approaches and a stoppage-time winner — making it one of the more eventful conclusions to a 2026 World Cup group-stage campaign.