Turkey 3-2 USA: World Cup 2026 – as it happened

Your final group standings:

6 pts. – USA 4 pts. – Australia (0 goal difference) 4 pts. – Paraguay (-2 goal difference) 3 pts. – Turkey

My prediction of the final ranking of third-place teams (those with a game remaining in italic)

I’m not confident about the Croatia pick,. I wouldn’t be shocked if Iran or Uruguay move up to three points.

Scotland really have to root against Senegal.

double quotation mark The US was much better for most of the half but they ran out of steam. Honestly. given how much more the game meant for Turkiye, who had the chance the leave with a sense of redemption instead of embarrassment, I liked the effort the US put in.

I think that’s fair – and I’d say again that the Trusty injury really through them for a loop. I just saw a replay of the goal,. the US defenders just had little sense of where they were supposed to be. How was Pulisic defending five yards from the goal line in the first place?

Weston McKennie: “I think the momentum will be there for sure. Everybody wants to go into the game winning the previous game. Obviously we didn’t do that tonight, but I think that’s going to motivate us even more.”

He says all 26 players on the roster can step up and do the job. You have to say that on behalf of your teammates, but that’s clearly not the case.

double quotation mark xG’s are 2.71 to 2.06 in favour of Turkey. Obviously a scoreline of 3-2 does not flatter Turkey

xG is a neat stat – if you didn’t watch the game.

Auston Trusty says he rolled his ankle pretty badly but will be OK.

“They had what … three shots, three goals?”

I’m seeing three on target, but I could’ve sworn Turner made at least one save.

double quotation mark “The former starter has done well – can’t really be faulted on the goals.” You cursed him.

Maybe, but that goal was really more of a defensive breakdown. You’d have to think that if Trusty had two good legs under him, that wouldn’t have happened. Turkey was playing 11 vs. 10.5.

double quotation mark Tip of the hat to Turkiye. No yellow card suspensions, no injuries for USA. Good result considering everything.

There were indeed a lot of positives.

double quotation mark And THAT is the problem, the late hit that turns the psychological tables for the 2nd string. Of course the players with yellow cards needed to be protected, but going toe-to-toe was a huge gamble. the intangible effects of losing like that after playing reasonably well.. Of course USA USA USA still finish top but maybe going in hot does them better than going in hurt. Let’s see.

double quotation mark Hakan Şükür is my all-time favorite Turkey player too. Fond memories of the 2002 World Cup and Turkey’s impressive run to third place. Apparently he has lived in the Bay Area for years. It would be a dream come true to play pickup soccer with him someday!

Anyway, about the current team. With their legendary passion - some say addiction - to football. it’s surprising to see them quit the World Cup like this, cold Türkiye.

Now I feel slightly better about my accidental reference to Turkey subs.

The question asked earlier: Did anyone play well enough to merit consideration as a starter or a sub against Bosnia?

Starter, no. Pochettino will surely start the same XI that carved up Paraguay.

Subs? Reyna had a few dangerous moments and has already scored as a sub in this Cup. Trusty, if his injury isn’t too bad, could be a late defensive sub again. At center back, Richards and Ream won’t be worried about their job security.

One question: What’s the formation?

The scoreline flatters Turkey, which did little of consequence in the second half other than blocking shots. occasionally looking strong on the counter.

For the USA, the best news is that Pulisic is back and looking like Pulisic. The second half response was solid.

Güler nutmegs Pulisic. Turkey cycles the ball around. Uzun is near the post. He slips it past Turner and it gets to Ayhan to poke home.

90 min +8 The US defense is a bit casual, and they have to send a bouncing backpass to Turner. Not what goalkeepers want.

90 min +7 Dangerous cross, but Turner gets it. The former starter has done well – can’t really be faulted on the goals.

90 min +6 Australia and Paraguay drew.

90 min +5 USA have possession now, somehow. Berhalter to Pulisic to Pepi, his shot is blocked,. a handball is called on Pepi in a circumstance in which referees are specifically told not to call handball. If it deflects off your body into your arm, it’s not handball.

90 min +4 Zendejas takes a close-range shot to … oh dear … ouch.

90 min +4 Trusty comes back in. Turkey now taking their time in possession.

90 min +3 Zendejas shoots, blocked, USA slips, and here comes that Turkish counter.

90 min +1 Trusty is still down. There are no more subs to make. The USA may be finishing this game 10v11.

Seven minutes of stoppage time signaled, but it’ll be more.

Turkey will make more subs. The last round was Ayhan in for Kökçü. Now Müldür is in for Aydin and Kahveci is in for Alper Yilmaz. Is this Turkey playing to hold on to the draw?

Trusty has to be out for a minute because he was treated on the field. We’ll see if he gets back on the field at all.

90 min Pulisic gets fouled. USA move forward, and now Trusty is down.

89 min I’ll get back to the Turkey subs in a minute (pardon the pun). I have to report that Trusty defended brilliantly while Alper Yılmaz tried to get him in a kimura. Turner collects.

88 min Pulisic and Zendejas combine. The AR raises a flag for an offside call that, given current VAR. tech, does not merit a flag being raised.

87 min Paraguay-Australia is still 0-0, which would put Australia through in second place. Paraguay with a 99.99999% chance of advancing as a third-place team.

86 min Final US sub – Weston McKennie. the only player to start all three group games for the USA, will get a short break. Malik Tillman takes the field. The armband goes to Pulisic.

85 min Bad pass from Trusty, and Turkey have numbers forward. USA giving way too much space for my tastes.

84 min Turkey’s first subs – Çelik and Velfiz are out, Uzun and Söyüncü are in. Uzun is a forward for Eintracht Frankfurt.

83 min McKennie was so close to having a great shot, but he lost his footing. A mad scramble at the other end follows, with Güler faking Berhalter down the ground. Robinson finally heads clear.

82 min Turkey play keepaway and can’t get more than 30 yards up the field. USA steal.

81 min Kökçü’s speculative shot is high. USA in possession.

80 min Turkey possess for a long time, but Dest is a pest. US throw-in intended for Dest, but the USA have struggled with throw-ins tonight. What a weird aspect of the game to be struggling.

79 min Turkey possess in their own half, then break on the right. They swing to the left, and Yildiz gets in a shot/cross that Turner smartly grabs.

78 min USA play for Pepi, but possession is lost.

78 min Pulisic barely misses! Angled shot along the ground.

76 min HERE COMES THE CAVALRY.

Reyna’s out. Aaronson’s out. Scally’s out.

In comes Alex Freeman, one of the breakout starts of this tournament. Sergiño Dest is in. And Alex Zendejas gets his debut.

75 min Solid buildup with Pulisic, Aaronson, Scally and McKennie. Cleared for a throw-in.

We keep hearing that the USA have three subs waiting, but we haven’t seen it yet.

74 min Finally, 30 seconds without a dangerous chance one way or the other.

73 min McKenzie fights through a jiu-jitsu hold to spark an attack on the left.

72 min McKennie’s Juventus teammate Yıldız beats Scally and unleashes a shot that curls just past the far post.

71 min Play resumes before I can finish the analogy and it’s a terrifying Turkish counter. Turner has to come out and play with his feet. It’s blocked and bounds into the box, but Turner out runs everyone to the ball.

USA immediately the other way to Aaronson, who loses the ball in the box.

An analogy for this game: Imagine a high school junior varsity game. has a couple of players moonlighting from the varsity. But one team has its hotshot sophomore dominating things until the other team brings in the kid who has barely played in high school at all. he’s in a pro academy.

67 min So many whistles! It’s a free kick! It’s a substitution! But wait – it’s hydration time!

66 min As I was saying – Turkey are dangerous on the counter,. Trusty has to come in from the left to the center to clear a ball a few yards in front of goal.