For 97 minutes, Mauricio Pochettino could hardly have asked for much more. Yes, the USMNT had shipped two goals against Turkey. Yes, a third straight win at this World Cup looked set to elude his team. Yes, there were holes to pick in this performance.
But in a dead rubber against Turkey, who were already eliminated after two losses from two, the USMNT had rested key players and protected those at risk of suspension. With the score at 2-2, they were cruising into the round of 32 unbeaten and – more importantly still – unscathed.
Christian Pulisic had returned from injury as sharp as ever and the likes of Sebastian Berhalter had grabbed their chance to start with both hands.
Then, with the final kick of the game, Kaan Ayhan stole victory for Turkey. It was a sickener that will sting for Pochettino and for those players who were handed an opportunity to prove why the manager should alter his plans for the knockout rounds – starting against Bosnia and Herzegovina next week.
But it is also a mark of how far this team has come that, in truth, the goal mattered very little. The USMNT had already sealed top spot in Group D and the hope is that this proves only a small bump on their journey towards the latter stages of this World Cup.
So Pochettino’s players still huddled in prayer at full-time before starting a lap of appreciation. ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ still blared out from the speakers around SoFi Stadium. The real work starts now and, even after this result, none of the 70,000 fans here could go home feeling short-changed.
Kaan Ayhan scored a last-gasp winner for Turkey in their game against the United States
Ayhan scored from close range with virtually the final kick of the game on Thursday night
The loss will sting for the US, but the real hard work starts now with the knockouts approaching
For one, they saw a 30-minute cameo from Pulisic that underscored once again how pivotal he will be this summer.
The winger missed the second half of the win over Paraguay and the victory over Australia but didn’t appear rusty at all. That bodes well and so does this team’s form in front of goal. Never before has the USMNT scored more than seven goals at a World Cup. Pochettino’s side have now racked up eight in just three games.
Only Weston McKennie – who captained the team in place of Tim Ream – and Ricardo Pepi kept their place from the win over Australia in Seattle.
It showed at times, particularly in the first half, when the US backline wobbled in the face of Arda Guler’s brilliance. He scored Turkey’s first and had a hand in their second, which was scored Orkun Kokcu.
Over their opening two games, Turkey had 62 shots – more than anyone else – without scoring. Here, they netted with their first two attempts on goal and then their last. The US had taken an early lead through Auston Trusty before falling 2-1 down. Sebastian Berhalter leveled shortly after halftime but Ayhan had the final say.
Every couple of minutes, a new face appeared on the giant, 360-degree screen that hangs from the roof of SoFi Stadium. Stars of sports and showbiz who filled the suites that wrap around this $5.5billion playground.
Among them? Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, NBA legend Scottie Pippen and LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Kamala Harris was here, too. So was Second Lady Usha Vance. Paris Hilton was on the field ahead of kickoff but even after Pochettino rang the changes, she couldn’t squeeze into the starting XI.
Before the tournament, all signs pointed to this being a pivotal game in the fate of Group D. Perhaps even a shootout for top spot. Instead? It was virtually meaningless.
The late goal condemned Mauricio Pochettino’s team to their first loss of this World Cup
The United States had opened the scoring through Auston Trusty, who suffered a late injury
Thankfully, it took all of two minutes to dispel any fears that – after booking their place in the knockout rounds and resting almost all their starters – Pochettino’s team would coast through this game.
Straight from kickoff, the US launched the ball deep into Turkey territory and then tore into their opponents. Gio Reyna forced a corner, which was not dealt with, before Trusty’s shot needed saving.
Seconds later, Berhalter whipped in another corner that flew all the way to Trusty at the far post. He had enough time to take a touch, fire home and then hare towards the USA bench where he was mobbed by teammates and doused in water. It was the second-fastest US goal in World Cup history – not bad for a makeshift left back.
Unfortunately, the defending wasn’t much better at the other end and Turkey levelled the game after 10 minutes. First, Guler outsmarted Mark McKenzie, leaving the defender on his heels, before beating Matt Turner, who was too slow off his line.
McKenzie thought he had made amends around the half-hour mark, after another US corner caused chaos. The ball cannoned around the box before falling to the defender, who lashed it home. Unfortunately his celebrations were cut short – the goal was ruled out for offside – and then moments later, Turkey took the lead.
Orkun Kokcu put Turkey ahead to silence the star-studded crowd in Inglewood, California
Sebastian Berhalter’s stunning goal leveled the game for the US in the second half
There was heartbreak in the 98th minute, though, as Kaan Ayhan won it for Turkey
This time, the USMNT were sliced apart by slick interplay around the box. Eventually a pull-back found Kokcu, who made no mistake.
It remained 2-1 at the break, when the stadium DJ decided to play Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer.’ That has become one of the sounds of this team’s summer – alongside John Denver – and it lit a fire under the crowd and, apparently, the team, too.
Because a few minutes into the second half, Berhalter drilled a bouncing ball through a crowd of bodies and inside the near post. He received a big embrace from Reyna. Four years ago, a rift between their families threatened to rip US soccer apart. This was another night that proved how far this team has progressed.
Before long, Turkey had the threat of Pulisic to deal with. The winger laid on a brilliant chance for Brenden Aaronson, whose skewed his shot well wide. Pulisic then had an effort tipped on to the post by Ugurcan Cakir. Unfortunately for the US, Ayhan made no mistake from close range.
