World Cup live updates: Türkiye beats USMNT with last-gasp winner

A Game That Meant Everything to One Side, Nothing to the Other On Thursday night at Los Angeles Stadium, Türkiye and the United States played a World Cup group finale with wildly different stakes. The USMNT had already secured the top spot in Group D with dominant 4-1 and 2-0 wins over Paraguay and Australia. Türkiye entered eliminated after two straight losses and no goals scored. But pride is powerful. What looked like a dead rubber turned into one of the wildest finishes of the 2026 World Cup. How It Happened Mauricio Pochettino rotated heavily, resting players on yellow cards and giving minutes to squad members. It paid off early. Auston Trusty smashed the U.S. ahead in just the 3rd minute, continuing America’s habit of fast starts. Türkiye hit back instantly. Arda Güler equalized minutes later with a sublime finish, and Orkun Kökçü put Türkiye 2-1 up before halftime. The U.S. looked disjointed for the first time all tournament. The second half was different. Sebastian Berhalter, son of former coach Gregg, unleashed a piledriver from the top of the box to make it 2-2. Christian Pulisic nearly won it late, his shot inches wide of the post. Then came the heartbreak. Deep into stoppage time, a cross from Can Uzun evaded Matt Turner and three defenders. Kaan Ayhan reacted first at the back post to tap home the winner with the last kick of the game. Final: Türkiye 3, USA 2. What It Means For Türkiye, it was pride restored. Vincenzo Montella’s side had been tipped as dark horses but crashed out early. Ayhan’s goal gave them something to take home. For the U.S., nothing changes on paper. They still finish top of Group D with 6 points and face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1. But the loss ended an unbeaten World Cup run and exposed depth concerns. Trusty’s late ankle injury is another worry. The Bigger Picture The USMNT had taken the tournament by storm with high-octane, aggressive soccer. Pochettino’s team looked cohesive with a clear identity. Thursday was a reminder: at the World Cup, no 90 minutes are meaningless. As U.S. fans sang “Take Me Home, Country Roads” after the whistle, the message was clear. The loss stings, but the journey continues.