Türkiye 3-2 United States: Kaan Ayhan wins it late

Türkiye claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over the United States in the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday, with Kaan Ayhan’s 90’+8′ winner settling a breathless Group D fixture at SoFi Stadium. After goals from Arda Güler and Baris Alper Yilmaz had turned the match around, Türkiye found one final decisive moment deep into stoppage time.

The United States made the sharper start and went ahead in just the 3rd minute through Auston Trusty, whose early goal gave the hosts an immediate foothold. It was the kind of opening the U.S. wanted, especially with Christian Pulisic starting on the bench and added responsibility falling elsewhere in the attack.

But Türkiye responded quickly and with real composure. Arda Güler leveled the match in the 10th minute, again underlining why he remains such a central figure in this side’s attacking structure. From there, Türkiye began to find cleaner passing sequences through midfield and looked more threatening whenever they moved the ball into the inside channels.

That growing control produced a second goal in the 31st minute, when Baris Alper Yilmaz finished to put Türkiye 2-1 in front before the interval. Despite seeing a little less of the ball overall, Türkiye were more efficient in key moments during the first half and made their chances count.

The United States came out for the second half with greater urgency and found their equalizer in the 49th minute through Sebastian Berhalter. His goal brought the match back to 2-2 and shifted the momentum again, with the U.S. pushing higher up the pitch and forcing Türkiye to defend longer phases. The Americans ended with 52.6 percent possession, 18 total shots, seven efforts on target, and nine corners, numbers that reflected how much pressure they applied.

Still, Türkiye stayed in the contest and never looked rattled by the territorial pressure. Their defensive shape bent at times, but they remained clinical when openings emerged. With the match moving toward what would have been a hard-fought draw, Türkiye struck at the latest possible moment. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Kaan Ayhan scored in the 90’+8′ to secure all three points and silence the late U.S. push.

Key performers

Güler was once again Türkiye’s attacking reference point, scoring in the 10th minute and helping connect transitions whenever the midfield needed relief. Baris Alper Yilmaz’s 31st-minute goal was equally important, rewarding Türkiye’s best first-half spell. Ayhan, introduced from the bench, delivered the pivotal contribution with the winning goal in 90’+8′.

For the United States, Trusty’s 3rd-minute opener gave the side an ideal launch point, while Berhalter responded well after his 19th-minute booking by scoring in the 49th minute. Even so, the U.S. could not turn a shot advantage into a result, and that will likely be the biggest frustration for the manager after a fixture in which his side created enough to take something.

NerdSports Stat: Türkiye scored all three of their goals from just four shots on target, while the United States finished with seven shots on target and nine corners but came away empty-handed.

This result gives Türkiye a major Group D boost, with a late winner that could prove decisive in the race to reach the knockout stage. The United States, meanwhile, are left to reflect on a costly defeat after twice getting themselves back into the contest. With the table tightening, both teams now head into their next fixtures knowing the margins are already slim.

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