Los Angeles, Jun 26 (V7N)- Türkiye ended their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a high note with a dramatic 3-2 victory over co-hosts United States in the final Group D match on Friday morning (Bangladesh time).
Although Türkiye had already been eliminated from the tournament before kickoff, they produced one of the biggest upsets of the group stage with a last-minute winner. Despite the defeat, the United States advanced to the Round of 32 as Group D champions and are set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina, the third-placed team from Group B.
The victory was particularly significant for Türkiye, marking their first World Cup win and first goals at the tournament since 2002. After failing to score or register a victory in their opening two matches, the Turkish side finished their campaign in memorable fashion.
Arda Güler opened the scoring for Türkiye before Barış Alper Yılmaz added another. The decisive goal came in dramatic fashion from Kaan Ayhan in the closing moments of the match.
For the United States, Auston Trusty and Sebastian Berhalter each found the back of the net, but their efforts were not enough to avoid defeat.
The Americans created more attacking opportunities throughout the match, registering 19 shots, including seven on target. Türkiye, meanwhile, enjoyed 53 percent possession and made the most of their chances, placing four of their 10 shots on target.
While Türkiye bowed out of the competition with pride after a spirited performance, the United States now shifts its focus to the knockout stage, where it will look to capitalize on home support in pursuit of a deep World Cup run.
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