INGLEWOOD, Calif. — As the final whistle blew at SoFi Stadium, it was difficult to know what to make of the United States men’s national team’s 3-2 defeat to Türkiye. Should it be frustrated at conceding a late winner? Or should it take some solace in a performance that saw some of the team’s less experienced players grow in the game?
There will likely be a little bit of both. At times in the first half, the U.S. looked overwhelmed by Türkiye’s technical proficiency. But the Americans responded with a gutsy second-half performance that appeared to have them headed to a 2-2 draw. But Türkiye had the last word, with Kaan Ayhan netting in the eighth minute of stoppage time secure a 3-2 win for the Crescent-Stars. A gut punch for sure, and one that will serve as a lesson for the USMNT.
It was a performance that was by no means an oil painting, with huge oscillations between positive and negative play. This was to be expected given that U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino fielded a heavily rotated lineup. The Americans play was aided by the return of Christian Pulisic; his entrance in the 58th minute — his first minutes in the tournament since coming off at half-time in the opening match against Paraguay — saw the U.S. immediately look more fluid in attack. Prior to this entrance, the U.S. had been heavily reliant on set pieces. It showed just how much better the hosts are when Pulisic is on the field.
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The lineup rotation was something that Pochettino had hinted at prior to the match especially with four of his usual starters — Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson — sitting on yellow cards. The idea, in part, was to avoid risking them picking up another yellow and getting suspended for the round of 32. With the top spot in the group assured, and with Türkiye eliminated, there was little competition-wise at stake. For that reason, there was also an inclination to give playing time to those who had mostly rode the bench so far in this World Cup and give them some match practice that might come in handy later.
As it turned out, only midfielder Weston McKennie and forward Ricardo Pepi kept their spots in the starting lineup. Türkiye manager Vincenzo Montella — who is likely to be fired after the tournament — also rotated his lineup, making seven changes, though dangermen Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz were on the field.
If that seemed like a recipe for chaos, well, that was indeed what unfolded. Auston Trusty staked the U.S. to a second minute lead when Sebastian Berhalter‘s corner kick fell to him at the far post, allowing him to fire home. But a 19th minute foul by Berhalter that earned him a yellow card seemed to fire Türkiye up, and they played with edge for the rest of the half that resulted in two goals, the first by Güler in the 10th minute, and the second by Orkun Kökçü in the 31st.
On both goals, center backs Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson struggled mightily, misreading situations and failing to mark up in the box. The U.S. midfield didn’t do much to protect the backline either, with Güler’s defensive-splitting pass in the 31st minute finding Eren Elmali down the left wing, and his centering feed found a wide open Kökçü to slot home.
But the second half saw a revitalized U.S. side claw back the emotional edge in the game, with Berhalter lashing home his shot from outside the box in the 49th minute.
Did Pochettino do the right thing in rotating his squad? Even with the result, one would have to say yes. If the U.S. goes deep into the tournament, depth will have to play a part. That the U.S. came back in the match will have given some of the second-tier performers some valuable experience. If any of the players sitting on yellow cards had gotten booked, Pochettino would have been hit with an avalanche of second-guessing.
More importantly, the team grew into the game, getting to grips with the game’s pace and intensity in the second half. Berhalter was the primary example of this, recovering from some shaky moments in the first half to deliver the equalizer in the second. That the U.S. was able come from behind will give a boost to the collective psyche. That they let it slip will stick in the craw, and act as a reminder of that keeping composure and concentration in a game’s latter stages is vital.
Even with the loss, there are still reasons to think the U.S. can make a deep run at this tournament. Pulisic’s return in particular will give the U.S. team belief. The USMNT attack hadn’t looked the same since he exited the Paraguay match. In his absence, the U.S.’s ability to press the opposition and create chances off turnovers, as well as maximize set piece opportunities had carried them through. Pulisic wasn’t without his down moments either, as he got nutmegged by Güler in the run up to Türkiye’s game-winner. But it is dynamic attacking play that will enable the USMNT to beat the kind of teams it will encounter in the knockout rounds. Pulisic — who had a shot that cannoned off the post — is the key to delivering that.
As for the team’s depth, this match raised almost as many questions as answers. Certainly, the backline needs its first-choice players available and healthy. Goalkeeper Matt Turner had some suspect moments as well, including having the final pass on the game-winner go through his legs. There scenario of digging so deeply into the team’s roster won’t need to be repeated with yellow cards wiped out for the next stage and players returning to health. It’s not just Pulisic who needs to be back; Richards, Adams, “Jedi” Robinson, and others will need to return as well. The hope is that Pochettino will use his bench judiciously and carefully as the stakes rise.
There was plenty of discussion before the match about how the U.S. risked losing momentum if it lost to Türkiye. Indeed, the U.S. might have lost some, but it could also benefit the team long-term. The match was a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted. With the round of 32 looming, the Americans will be well aware that they’ll need to be at their best to keep the wins coming.
