FRA 18.9%
ARG 14.7%
ESP 13.8%
ENG 9.9%
POR 8.1%
Turkey beat the United States 3-2 in Group D, with Kaan Ayhan's stoppage-time strike completing a comeback led by Arda Güler and Baris Alper Yilmaz.
How did Turkey beat the United States 3-2?
Turkey opened their Group D campaign with a statement, coming from behind to beat the United States 3-2 thanks to Kaan Ayhan's strike in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time. For a side ranked below their opponents and given only a 1.2% chance of lifting the trophy before kick-off, refusing to settle for a draw against a fancied co-host says plenty about this group's nerve.
The night could hardly have started worse. Auston Trusty struck in the 3rd minute, drilling a left-footed shot from a difficult angle on the right into the bottom corner after Sebastian Berhalter's cross from a corner. Turkey had already needed Ugurcan Çakir to deny Trusty a minute earlier, so to fall behind so quickly and then respond is exactly the kind of resilience deep tournament runs are built on.
The reply was swift and emphatic. Arda Güler levelled in the 10th minute with a composed left-footed finish from the centre of the box, set up by Baris Alper Yilmaz, before Yilmaz turned scorer himself on 31 minutes, bundling in from very close range after Orkun Kökçü's pass. Berhalter's superb strike from outside the box in the 49th minute hauled the United States back to 2-2, but Ayhan had the final word from close range deep into added time.
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What does this result signal about how far Turkey can go?
Beating a higher-ranked, higher-fancied side on the opening matchday is the sort of marker that can define a campaign. The United States arrived as FIFA #16 with 2.5% title odds, Turkey as FIFA #22 with 1.2%, and yet it was Turkey who found a way to win. Results like this reframe expectations: a team that closes out a swinging contest against quality opposition has the temperament to trouble anyone.
The manner of the win matters as much as the points. Turkey conceded inside three minutes, were pegged back to 2-2 early in the second half, and still kept pushing for a winner rather than protecting a share of the spoils. That refusal to fold, capped by a goal in the 98th minute, is the profile of a side that believes it belongs in the latter stages.
Three points from a tricky opener also gives Turkey control of their own destiny in Group D. Momentum in tournament football is real, and a young team that has just learned it can outlast a co-host in a five-goal thriller will travel to its next fixture with its confidence visibly raised.
Why was Arda Güler and the young attack so important?
This Turkey side is built around a thrilling new generation, and the opener showcased exactly why there is excitement around it. Arda Güler's equaliser was the work of a player comfortable in the biggest moments, taking Baris Alper Yilmaz's pass and finishing calmly through the middle of the goal.
Yilmaz was central to the comeback at both ends of the move, providing the assist for Güler's leveller before scoring himself in the 31st minute. The interplay with Orkun Kökçü, who supplied the second goal, hinted at an attack with multiple creators rather than a one-man reliance, which is precisely what a team needs to sustain a long run.
Crucially, Turkey also found goals from beyond the headline names. Kaan Ayhan, introduced as a substitute, popped up with the winner in stoppage time, evidence that the contributions are spread across the squad. A bench capable of changing a game is the kind of depth that separates sides that go far from those that flatter to deceive.
How decisive was goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakir for Turkey?
For all the quality at the other end, Turkey do not win this game without Ugurcan Çakir. The goalkeeper was busy from the first whistle, saving Auston Trusty's effort in the 2nd minute before the United States went ahead anyway, and he only grew in influence as the contest opened up.
His best work came in a relentless second-half spell. Çakir denied Christian Pulisic twice in quick succession, first from a difficult angle on the left in the 62nd minute and then from the centre of the box a minute later, pushing the latter to the top corner. Either chance, taken, could have swung the night the other way.
Add in first-half saves from Brenden Aaronson and from Weston McKennie's effort just before the break, set up by Miles Robinson's headed pass, and Çakir's importance is obvious. A goalkeeper in this kind of form is a foundation that travels, and it is exactly the sort of reliability a team leans on when matches get tight in the knockout rounds.
Where did it go wrong for the United States?
From a Turkey-tinted view, the United States offered plenty to admire and still lost, which only underlines the scale of the home side's achievement. The Americans led after three minutes through Trusty and drew level at 2-2 through Sebastian Berhalter's fine strike from outside the box, yet they could not land the decisive blow.
The United States made their changes in search of a winner, introducing Christian Pulisic, Alejandro Zendejas, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman and Malik Tillman across the second half. Pulisic in particular forced the issue, but ran into Çakir at his sharpest, and the chances that might have settled it were repelled.
Turkey, by contrast, found their winner from their own bench, with Kaan Ayhan striking after coming on. That is the fine margin this game turned on: the higher-ranked side created enough to win but did not, while Turkey took their moment in the 98th minute. For a team chasing a long campaign, learning to win matches like this is the most encouraging signal of all.
Frequently asked
What was the final score of Turkey vs United States?
Turkey won 3-2 against the United States in their Group D match on 25 June 2026, having led 2-1 at half-time.
Who scored for Turkey against the United States?
Arda Güler (10'), Baris Alper Yilmaz (31') and Kaan Ayhan (90'+8') scored for Turkey, with Ayhan's strike winning the game in stoppage time.
Who scored for the United States?
Auston Trusty put the United States ahead in the 3rd minute and Sebastian Berhalter equalised at 2-2 in the 49th minute, but the USA could not find a third.
Was Turkey's win over the United States an upset?
On paper, yes: the United States were ranked FIFA #16 with 2.5% title odds against Turkey's FIFA #22 and 1.2%, so Turkey beating the higher-fancied co-hosts was a notable result.
