Turkiye ended their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Group D winners and co-hosts United States in California on June 26. The win snapped a remarkable goal drought: Turkiye had failed to score from their first 62 shots of the tournament, according to OptaCan, but converted their first two attempts against the USA to spark a thrilling turnaround.
Early setback and swift response
The United States took an early lead when Auston Trusty headed home Sebastian Berhalter's corner in the third minute. However, Turkiye responded in the 10th minute. Arda Guler combined with Baris Yilmaz and fired the equaliser, becoming the youngest Turkish player to score in a FIFA World Cup at 21 years and 120 days. He surpassed Emre Belozoglu, who was 21 years and 275 days when he scored against Costa Rica, as per OptaCan.
Turkiye's quick double
Boosted by the equaliser, Turkiye took control. In the 31st minute, Eren Elmali assisted Orkun Kokcu, who calmly finished to make it 2-1. Remarkably, Turkiye had scored with their first two shots of the match after drawing blanks from their previous 62 attempts in the competition.
USA fight back but late winner decides
The hosts responded strongly after the interval. Sebastian Berhalter unleashed a powerful strike from outside the penalty area in the 48th minute to restore parity. Despite introducing experienced players like Christian Pulisic, the USA could not prevent late heartbreak. Deep into stoppage time, Kaan Ayhan bundled the ball home in the 98th minute to seal a dramatic win for Turkiye.
Records and impact
Guler's influential display earned him the Player of the Match award. The USA suffered their first defeat of the group stage but still progressed as Group D winners. They finished the group phase with eight goals, their highest tally in a single men's FIFA World Cup campaign, surpassing their previous best totals from the 1930 and 2002 editions.
