Turkey claimed its first victory of the World Cup with a dramatic 3-2 win over a heavily rotated United States side on Thursday, as substitute Kaan Ayhan scored with virtually the final kick of the match to hand the Europeans a consolation victory despite their elimination from the tournament.
The result had no impact on the Group D standings. The United States had already secured first place and qualification for the round of 32 before kickoff, allowing coach Mauricio Pochettino to rotate extensively by making nine changes to his starting lineup, including resting all four players carrying yellow cards to avoid potential suspensions.
Turkey, meanwhile, salvaged pride after an otherwise disappointing campaign, responding twice to American goals before Ayhan struck from close range in stoppage time to silence a capacity crowd at Los Angeles Stadium.
The United States made another explosive start, opening the scoring for the third consecutive group-stage match.
Defender Auston Trusty headed home in the third minute to give the home side an early advantage and immediately lift the atmosphere inside the sold-out venue.
Turkey gradually settled into the contest and produced its best attacking display of the tournament.
Arda Guler equalized midway through the first half before Baris Yilmaz completed the turnaround, giving Turkey a deserved lead before halftime after repeatedly exploiting space behind the American defense.
The United States restored parity shortly after the interval through Sebastian Berhalter, whose powerful long-range strike beat the Turkish goalkeeper and appeared to rescue a draw for the co-hosts.
Pochettino introduced captain Christian Pulisic in the 58th minute for his first appearance since suffering a calf injury during the opening match against Paraguay.
The AC Milan forward immediately added energy to the American attack and was warmly welcomed by supporters, who delivered one of the loudest ovations of the evening as he entered the field.
Pulisic looked sharp despite his recent absence and became increasingly involved, including exchanging heated words with several Turkish players following a robust late challenge.
“Just having him come into the game makes such a difference,” American midfielder Brenden Aaronson said afterward. “He attracts so much attention that it creates opportunities for everyone else.”
As both teams searched for a winner in an entertaining closing period, Turkey delivered the decisive blow.
Deep into stoppage time, Ayhan found himself unmarked at the far post and calmly finished into an empty net after a well-worked attacking move, securing Turkey’s first victory of the competition and ending the tournament on a positive note.
“I’m super happy with how they played tonight,” Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said. “They showed their quality, their character and all of their abilities. If they weren’t a strong group of players, they wouldn’t have produced a performance like this. We can go home with our heads held high.”
The United States suffered a potentially more significant setback moments before the final whistle when Trusty appeared to injure his hamstring while defending inside his own penalty area.
The defender required lengthy treatment before being carried from the field on a stretcher, creating uncertainty over his availability for the knockout stage.
Despite the defeat, the Americans quickly shifted their focus toward Wednesday’s round-of-32 clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, where they will attempt to continue their impressive World Cup campaign.
Turkey, although eliminated, departed the tournament encouraged by an attacking display that finally produced goals after a frustrating start to the competition.
The match also attracted a star-studded audience, with actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt, along with media personality Paris Hilton, among the celebrities in attendance on a warm Southern California evening.
For the United States, the result represented little more than a minor setback before the knockout rounds. For Turkey, however, Ayhan’s dramatic winner ensured the tournament ended with a memorable victory rather than another disappointment.
