The United States men's national soccer team suffered a late setback as Turkey scored a stoppage-time goal to secure a 3-2 victory in their final Group D match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite the loss, the U.S. finished at the top of their group and will advance to the round of 32, where they are set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on Thursday morning Hong Kong time.

U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed frustration with the post-match media focus on the defeat rather than the team’s accomplishment in topping a challenging group. Turkey entered the match already eliminated, but the narrow loss sparked a tone Pochettino found surprising given his squad's overall performance.

“At the moment no one congratulated us for finishing first in our group,” Pochettino said. “I congratulate the players, the staff and the fans to finish first in a very difficult group.” He emphasized that finishing first was the primary objective, stating, “Our objective was to finish first, and we finished first. I’m so positive and I’m happy.”

Pochettino highlighted the growth and depth of the squad throughout the tournament, noting several players made their World Cup debuts during the group stage. He described the team as “a much better team now than before,” reinforcing his confidence as the U.S. moves into the knockout phase.

Despite the narrow loss, the U.S. team’s progression, secured by topping Group D, was a milestone that Pochettino insisted should be acknowledged more fully. He responded to media queries about the defeat by pointing to the broader context of the tournament and the team’s ultimate result.

The upcoming match against Bosnia and Herzegovina presents a new challenge as the U.S. seeks to maintain their momentum in the competition. With several young players gaining valuable World Cup experience, the team appears poised to build on their group stage performance as the knockout rounds begin.