Kaan Ayhan seals a dramatic 3-2 victory over USA

Turkiye concluded their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on an exhilarating high note by defeating host nation USA 3-2. Kaan Ayhan snatched the unexpected victory with a remarkable 98th-minute stoppage-time goal in California.

Sebastian Berhalter set up Auston Trusty for a quick American lead in the third minute. Turkiye fought back swiftly to level the playing field. Arda Guler equalised just seven minutes later following a clever pass from Baris Yilmaz. Guler consequently became his nation's youngest scorer in tournament history, securing Player of the Match honours. Orkun Kokcu then gave the visitors an advantage shortly after the half-hour mark. Historically, international encounters between these two nations have rarely delivered such high-scoring excitement on a global stage.

USA manager Mauricio Pochettino introduced senior players like Christian Pulisic after Berhalter tied the match with a stunning long-range strike in the 48th minute. Turkiye held strong defensively before Ayhan bundled the ball home deep into added time. Despite suffering this setback, the Americans secured the top spot in Group D. They also set a new national milestone by scoring eight goals across their group matches.

Image Courtesy: ANI