A 98th-minute goal from substitute Kaan Ayhan secured a 3-2 victory for Türkiye over the United States in a dramatic FIFA World Cup Group D clash at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. In front of a crowd of 70,492, the back-and-forth encounter saw the USA control possession and shot volume, while Türkiye capitalized on precise finishing and strong defensive duels to claim the critical three points.
The United States struck first in the third minute when Auston Trusty converted a cross from Sebastian Berhalter. Türkiye responded swiftly, leveling the match in the 10th minute via a crisp left-footed strike from Arda Güler following a pass from Barış Alper Yılmaz. Yılmaz then put Türkiye ahead 2-1 in the 31st minute with a close-range finish, shifting the momentum before halftime despite the Americans seeing more of the ball.
Shortly after the break, the US found an equalizer when Berhalter fired a long-distance right-footed shot past goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır in the 49th minute. Despite Mauricio Pochettino’s squad dominating the offensive metrics—leading in total shots 18 to 9, corner kicks 9 to 2, and final-third entries 57 to 41—they struggled to break through Türkiye’s resilient defensive block anchored by Çakır’s five saves. Vincenzo Montella’s side controlled the physical battle, winning 60 percent of their total duels and 20 of their 31 tackles. Türkiye also generated higher-quality scoring opportunities, leading the expected goals (xG) battle 2.71 to 2.06.
The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time when Kaan Ayhan, brought on in the 88th minute, arrived at the back post to steer in the winner. Güler, who dictated the tempo and served as the critical link between the midfield and attack, was the standout performer for Türkiye, completing 40 of 52 passes and winning 10 duels. The late victory bolsters Türkiye’s position in Group D, leaving the United States needing sharper finishing in their upcoming fixtures to advance.
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