Türkiye ended their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on a dramatic note after Kaan Ayhan scored in the 98th minute to seal a 3-2 victory over Group D winners USA in a five-goal contest in Los Angeles.
The match at the Los Angeles Stadium began at a frantic pace, with USA striking first inside three minutes when Auston Trusty reacted quickest to a deep corner from Sebastian Berhalter, controlling the ball before firing home a left-foot finish to give the hosts an early lead.
Türkiye responded swiftly despite already being eliminated from the tournament. Arda Güler combined neatly with Barış Yılmaz to break through the US defence and level the score in the 10th minute, with the youngster calmly finishing to register his first World Cup goal and become Türkiye’s youngest scorer at the tournament.
Momentum swung again as defensive lapses from the USA allowed Türkiye to take control. Just after the half-hour mark, Eren Elmalı delivered a precise pass across the box for Orkun Kökçü to poke home and put Türkiye ahead, silencing the home crowd.
USA restored parity early in the second half when Berhalter, already providing an assist, struck a powerful effort from the edge of the box in the 49th minute to make it 2-2 and reignite the contest. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino introduced several attacking options in search of a winner, with Christian Pulisic adding energy and intent as the hosts pushed forward.
Despite the pressure, it was Türkiye who had the final say deep into stoppage time. In the 98th minute, Kaan Ayhan scrambled the ball home to complete a dramatic turnaround and secure all three points in a match defined by late drama and shifting momentum.
A key statistic from the tournament highlighted USA’s attacking output, with eight goals at the 2026 finals marking their highest scoring World Cup campaign, surpassing previous records set in 1930 and 2002.
Arda Güler was named Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match following his influential performance and crucial equaliser that helped spark Türkiye’s comeback.
