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Christian Pulisic made his comeback from injury while Sebastian Berhalter delivered a standout performance, yet a heavily rotated United States Men's National Team (USMNT) conceded deep into stoppage time as Turkiye snatched a 3-2 victory to end America’s flawless World Cup start.

INGLEWOOD, California — It was close to perfect, but not quite. The U.S. Men's National Team were just seconds away from completing an unbeaten World Cup group stage campaign and achieving three wins in this round for the first time ever. However, with time expiring and a crucial player hampered by injury, Turkiye struck late to secure a dramatic 3-2 win.

The outcome had little bearing on the group standings — the USMNT still topped the group, while Turkiye were already eliminated. Still, the Turks left with smiles, and the Americans moved into the knockout phase slightly deflated after surrendering a point with virtually the last kick.

After failing to score from their first 62 shots of the tournament, Turkiye capitalised on their limited opportunities against a significantly changed U.S. side. Even so, the Americans started brightly, taking the lead before showing resilience to level after falling behind.

In the opening minutes, the USMNT — featuring nine new starters — looked ready to dominate again. Auston Trusty struck just three minutes in, sprinting towards the bench to celebrate another early American goal. Unlike the first two, which were recorded as own goals, this was all theirs — a perfect connection between Trusty and Berhalter from a corner kick.

Turkiye answered with two swift blows. Star man Arda Guler pounced on defensive lapses in the 10th minute to equalise. Then, in the 31st minute, the U.S. backline crumbled once more under Turkish pressure, allowing Orkan Kokcu to slot home with ease.

The Americans reignited after the break. Berhalter’s precise strike in the 49th minute brought them level before the returning Pulisic entered and immediately injected energy. He created several chances but couldn’t find the finishing touch. That proved costly. With Trusty limping from an ankle issue, Kaan Ayhan drifted in to score in the 96th minute, breaking U.S. hearts.

Nevertheless, the mood in the American camp remained largely positive. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was satisfied with the overall display under the circumstances, though the result meant the unbeaten streak came to an end.

Here’s how GOAL rated the USMNT players in Los Angeles:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Matt Turner (6/10): Left exposed by his defence for both goals, which were Turkiye’s only first-half shots on target. Stepped off his line smartly after the interval to deny another dangerous opportunity.

Auston Trusty (7/10): A memorable outing for a player long waiting for his USMNT opportunity. Took his goal well and even had more chances to score. Looked solid overall but faced challenges in an unfamiliar left-back role. His late injury will be a concern.

Mark McKenzie (5/10): Caught out too easily leading to the opening goal and was unlucky to have one of his own ruled out. After a shaky start, he regained composure as the game progressed.

Miles Robinson (5/10): Shared blame for Turkiye’s second goal, opting for a delicate touch when a clearance was needed. Nevertheless, made several important defensive interventions later on.

Joe Scally (6/10): Decent showing overall. The second Turkish goal originated from his side, but he handled the situation as best as possible given the overload.

Midfield

Sebastian Berhalter (9/10): Outstanding on set pieces, registering an assist for the opener before scoring a superb goal himself. Shouldered significant defensive duties in midfield and delivered an exceptional performance.

Weston McKennie (7/10): Continued his steady run of form. McKennie’s all-round contribution remains vital to the U.S. midfield’s dominance early in this tournament.

Gio Reyna (5/10): Completed many passes without much creative impact. Controlled tempo but lacked his usual spark in attack.

Attack

Tim Weah (4/10): Below his usual standards. Found himself offside frequently and struggled to beat his marker, particularly on the left flank.

Brenden Aaronson (6/10): Missed a golden opportunity in the second half but remained lively throughout. Positive movement and energy but lacked the final cutting edge.

Ricardo Pepi (5/10): Couldn’t find space against Turkiye’s centre-backs and had limited involvement overall.

Substitutes & Manager

Christian Pulisic (8/10): Instantly made an impact after coming on. Tested the keeper, struck the post, and went close again. Not quite at his sharpest, but his influence was undeniable.

Alex Zendejas (6/10): Involved in one promising move, though it was nullified for offside.

Alex Freeman (6/10): Managed a few key defensive moments on the right flank.

Sergino Dest (N/A): Barely had a touch after coming on.

Malik Tillman (N/A): Introduced late as the U.S. searched for a winner.

Mauricio Pochettino (8/10): Despite the result, Pochettino will be pleased with his side’s resilience and attacking play. The team demonstrated they can both take the lead and fight back, offering plenty of positives moving forward.