Kaan Ayhan struck with virtually the last touch of the game as Türkiye edged the United States 3-2 on Thursday night, ending their World Cup campaign on a winning note.
Despite already securing top spot in Group D, the Americans suffered their first defeat of the tournament after making sweeping changes to their starting lineup.
Mauricio Pochettino introduced nine new players, although Christian Pulisic made his return from injury in the second half.
The hosts made a dream start at SoFi Stadium when Auston Trusty headed home Sebastian Berhalter’s corner in the third minute, sending the packed crowd into celebration.
Türkiye responded seven minutes later through Arda Güler. The young Real Madrid midfielder combined brilliantly with Baris Alper Yilmaz before finishing calmly to level the score.
The visitors then turned the game around in the 31st minute. Güler was again involved in the build-up, with the move eventually ending in Orkun Kökçü firing home from close range to give Türkiye a 2-1 lead at the break.
The United States restored parity shortly after halftime when Berhalter pounced on a loose ball outside the box and unleashed a powerful effort into the net in the 49th minute.
Pulisic entered the contest in the 58th minute for his first appearance since suffering a calf injury during the opening match against Paraguay.
The AC Milan star immediately injected energy into the American attack and created several dangerous moments.
He nearly marked his return with a goal five minutes later, but goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakir produced a fine save to divert his effort onto the post before Brenden Aaronson failed to convert the rebound.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Türkiye found a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time. Can Uzun broke free at the far post and squared the ball across goal, where Ayhan slid in to finish and seal victory in the eighth minute of added time.
Although the result had no impact on the standings, the lively crowd remained fully engaged throughout the contest.
The Americans had already guaranteed first place in the group with wins over Paraguay and Australia and will face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday.
Trusty’s early strike was the United States’ seventh goal of the tournament, matching the team’s highest scoring tally in a World Cup group stage.
It also contributed to a tournament record, as the competition surpassed the total number of goals scored at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite reaching the milestone in fewer matches.
