Fast goals open the show
With both sides already through to the knockout stage, the match in Los Angeles still came out swinging from the first whistle. The USA struck first in the 3rd minute, as Auston Trusty finished from close range off a corner for his seventh goal of the tournament. Turkey responded in the 10th minute: Arda Guler, combining well with Baris Alper Yilmaz, found a calm finish to level the score and become his country's youngest-ever World Cup scorer. Less than twenty minutes later, in the 31st minute, Eren Elmali squared the ball for Baris Alper Yilmaz, who put Turkey ahead 2-1.
Pochettino rotates, Pulisic returns
USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino, with top spot in Group D already secured after wins over Paraguay and Australia, made nine changes to his starting eleven. His side still hit back quickly — in the 49th minute, Sebastian Berhalter unleashed a shot from around twenty yards that flew into the top corner to make it 2-2. In the 58th minute, Christian Pulisic came on for his first appearance since the first half of the opening win over Paraguay, having been sidelined with a calf injury.
Ayhan seals it in stoppage time
The match was decided in the dying seconds. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Arda Guler created space and found Ozcan, who lofted a cross from around twenty-five yards out over the defense toward the far post. Can Uzun skipped past a sprawling Matt Turner and squared the ball back across the box, where Kaan Ayhan, despite three defenders crowding the area, forced it home to give Turkey a 3-2 win. For Turkey, already eliminated before kickoff, it was their only victory of the tournament. The USA, despite the loss, finished the group stage top of Group D and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.