Turkey
USAThe match's shape was determined before kickoff by Pochettino's decision to rotate nine starters, and Turkey — already eliminated, liberated from tactical caution, and given the midfield corridors they had been denied across two previous matches — played their most fluent football of the tournament against the only opposition that would not punish them for it. Güler and Yilmaz found pockets of space that a first-choice USA unit would have closed; Kaan Ayhan, on as a substitute in the 88th minute, found himself sliding in a deflected cross in the 98th to complete Turkey's first 2026 World Cup victory, and their only one.
Turkey
Turkey had been waiting three group matches for a goal — none against Australia, none in the 65-second nightmare against Paraguay — and when Pochettino's rotated side arrived at SoFi Stadium, the wait finally ended. Arda Güler, named Man of the Match, struck in the 10th minute after a crisp two-man exchange with Baris Alper Yilmaz, who added the second himself in the 31st; the midfield pockets that Adams and McKennie would have closed opened wide in their absence. Sebastian Berhalter's deflected equaliser in the 49th restored parity, but Can Uzun found space at the back post in the 90th+8 and laid it across for Kaan Ayhan to slide in the winner. Turkey finish their World Cup with one victory and the knowledge that this was the team they had been trying to be all along.
USA
Pochettino made nine changes — the most the USMNT have ever made between two World Cup matches — protecting all four yellow-carded starters ahead of the knockout round. Auston Trusty headed in from a corner in the 3rd minute, Sebastian Berhalter's deflection made it 2-2 in the 49th after Turkey had turned the match around, and Christian Pulisic came off the bench in the 58th minute to a standing ovation and struck the post on his return from a calf injury. The rotated side competed and equalised twice; they conceded to a deflected stoppage-time cross that a first-choice backline would likely have read differently. USA advance as Group D winners regardless; the bodies that were being rested are rested.