World Cup: US lose 3-2 to Turkey after last-gasp strike

A heavily rotated United States squad suffered a late 3-2 defeat to Turkey in a World Cup dead-rubber match, a result coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted would not derail the team's momentum heading into the knockout stages. With their place as Group D winners already secured, the US prioritized resting key players for their upcoming last-32 clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Pochettino made nine changes to his lineup, emphasizing the need to balance the desire for victory with the ultimate goal of winning the World Cup. "What does it mean to win three (group) matches if you're going to be losing the next one, and you're not going to be winning the World Cup?" he questioned during a tense press conference following the match.

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We had other priorities. We did want to win, we wanted the victory, but there were other things that we need to balance out, and I made the very best decisions.

The US started brightly, with backup center-half Auston Trusty scoring in the third minute, marking the second-fastest World Cup goal for the team. However, Turkey, who had been eliminated and scoreless in their previous matches, fought back. Arda Guler equalized in the 10th minute, and Baris Alper Yilmaz put Turkey ahead in the 31st minute, marking the first time the US had trailed in the tournament.

Despite the loss, the US managed to equalize after halftime, only for Kaan Ayhan to score a winner deep into stoppage time. The match also saw moments of tension, including a protest from the Turkish bench over a foul by Sebastian Berhalter, who received a yellow card. The US had a goal disallowed for offside, further adding to the drama of the encounter.

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What does it mean to win three (group) matches if you're going to be losing the next one, and you're not going to be winning the World Cup?