Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Turkey beat a heavily changed United States 3-2 with a late Kaan Ayhan winner in an action-packed dead-rubber clash that gave the World Cup co-hosts their sternest test so far ahead of the knockout rounds. Already crowned Group D winners, the US arrived in Los Angeles seeking to extend a perfect start with a third win, but with more than an eye on next Wednesday’s last-32 meeting against Bosnia-Herzegovina. For Turkey, already eliminated and without even a goal after disastrous losses to Paraguay and Australia, the only objective was to restore some pride.
Despite the low stakes and substantially reshuffled lineups for both teams, a packed SoFi Stadium was in deafening mood. For the third game running, the US got off to a dream start. One of nine changes, backup center-half Auston Trusty was unmarked at the far post from a US corner, given time to cushion the ball with his left foot then blast it home. It was the Celtic defender’s first international goal, and — at just under three minutes — the second-fastest by the US at a World Cup.
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But Turkey did not surrender. Having not scored in 62 efforts across their first two games, it was 63rd time lucky for the Turks, and their star man Arda Guler. The Real Madrid forward duped Mark McKenzie with a clever dummy, allowing the ball to run down the right flank to Baris Alper Yilmaz. Yilmaz crossed it back into Guler, who smashed it past Matt Turner to equalize in the 10th minute.
With Brad Pitt and Edward Norton among the Hollywood crowd, the game threatened to become a fight club, as Turkey’s bench rushed the field to protest a foul by the combative Sebastian Berhalter, who earned a yellow. The Americans thought they had restored the lead, Mark McKenzie the second US center-back to put the ball in the net. But his sharp response to Ricardo Pepi’s saved shot was ruled offside. In the 31st minute, the US found themselves behind for the first time this World Cup. Guler spotted Eren Elmali’s overlapping run, feeding it to the wing-back who cut the ball back from the left byline to Yilmaz, who steered it beyond the keeper.
The half-time break proved the perfect tonic for the US. In the 49th minute, they were back level from a long throw by McKenzie. The ball was cleared by Turkey only as far as Berhalter, who did well to smash his shot low into the bottom corner. The crowd erupted again just before the hour mark as Pochettino sent on Christian Pulisic, undoubtedly US soccer’s biggest star, who will shoulder much of the hosts’ hopes of a deep run into the knockouts. Nicknamed “Captain America,” Pulisic earned his own round of “USA” chants, having not appeared since aggravating an injury in the first half of the opening win against Paraguay two weeks ago.
Pulisic immediately looked lively, twice having efforts blocked from close range after darting runs from the left. He knew less about a ball that looped off his shin onto the post. Turkey began to knock on the door again. A Yildiz effort curled inches wide in the 72nd minute. And deep into stoppage time, Ayhan spoiled the US party, slamming the ball home from close range. Turkey were jubilant, while the American players clustered in a circle after the final whistle, seemingly determined to not let the gut punch spoil a campaign that had been off to a flying start.
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