The United States men’s national soccer team suffered a 3-2 defeat to Turkey in a World Cup group stage match on Thursday night in Los Angeles, ending their preliminary round with a loss despite having already secured advancement to the knockout phase. Turkey, eliminated after two consecutive losses and without scoring in the tournament until this match, secured a dramatic late victory with a goal in the 98th minute.

The result did not affect the U.S. team’s qualification status, as they had already clinched first place in Group D following wins over Paraguay and Australia. However, the late defeat served as a cautionary reminder of the challenges ahead, particularly as the Americans prepare for a second-round match against Bosnia-Herzegovina scheduled for Wednesday.

The United States opened the scoring early, with defender Auston Trusty converting a corner kick from Sebastian Berhalter in the third minute. Turkey quickly responded with a goal by young midfielder Arda Güler in the 10th minute. Baris Yilmaz put Turkey ahead in the 31st minute, marking the first time in the tournament that the U.S. team had trailed. Berhalter equalized shortly after halftime in the 49th minute, and Christian Pulisic—returning after missing the previous match due to a calf injury—entered for the final 30 minutes as the Americans sought the win. However, Turkey sealed their win with a stoppage-time strike by Kaan Ayhan.

Coaches from both sides made substantial line-up changes, with the U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino altering nine starters and Turkish coach Vincenzo Montella making seven substitutions. Despite the adjustments, both teams displayed determination, with Turkey motivated to conclude their tournament on a positive note and the U.S. aiming to maintain momentum.

The loss underscores the more formidable challenges the United States is expected to face in the knockout rounds, where Europe-based opponents have historically posed significant obstacles. Since rejoining the World Cup in 1990, the U.S. team has faced European teams 21 times but recorded only one victory, a 3-2 group stage win against Portugal in 2002. The upcoming schedule could pit the U.S. against European powers Bosnia-Herzegovina—who secured their World Cup spot by defeating Italy in qualification playoffs—and potentially Belgium or reigning champions Spain in later rounds.

While the current U.S. roster is considered more talented than in previous tournaments, it has yet to contend with a top-tier opponent in group play, as Group D featured teams ranked outside the top 15 globally. Past U.S. teams often confronted heavyweight European nations early on, including Italy, Germany, England, and Portugal.

With the quarterfinals representing a feasible milestone—the U.S. has not advanced beyond the round of 16 since 2002—the recent defeat serves as a reminder that caution and consistency will be essential moving forward. The team’s first loss after taking the lead since 1950 signals potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by increasingly difficult adversaries as the tournament progresses.