Pulisic Returns, but a Late Stumble Against Turkiye Leaves the US With Work to Do

Christian Pulisic looked sharp in his return from injury at SoFi Stadium, but a stoppage-time goal handed the United States a 3-2 loss to Turkiye — a defeat that did not cost the already-qualified hosts their group, yet exposed problems to fix before the knockout rounds.

Valeria Ortiz June 27, 2026 at 5:38 AM

For a US men's national team that had already secured top spot in its group, the result against Turkiye on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood mattered less than the questions it raised. The Americans lost 3-2, beaten by a goal deep in stoppage time — but the night's most encouraging story was the return of captain Christian Pulisic.

How the match unfolded

The US started fast, with Auston Trusty heading home in the third minute, ESPN reported. The lead did not last. Arda Guler equalized for Turkiye in the 10th minute, and Orkun Kokcu put the visitors ahead in the 31st to make it 2-1 at the break. Sebastian Berhalter leveled it again at 2-2 four minutes into the second half, before Kaan Ayhan struck in the eighth minute of stoppage time to win it for a Turkiye side that had already been eliminated.

Crucially, the defeat did not change the bigger picture: the US advanced as group winners and moves on to the round of 32.

Pulisic's encouraging cameo

Pulisic, sidelined since halftime of the US opener with a calf injury, came on in the 58th minute to one of the loudest ovations of the night, according to ESPN. He was lively and direct, rattling the post and creating chances down the left. He was also beaten on the play that led to Turkiye's late winner — a reminder that he is still building toward full match fitness.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino said Pulisic "finished well" and made a "good impact." For a team that has spent weeks managing his recovery, getting roughly half an hour into his legs without a setback counts as progress. The next question is how quickly the staff can build him toward 90 minutes.

The lessons

Pochettino, who had rotated heavily with qualification secure, urged perspective. "The mood is like we [are going] home tonight and Turkiye is staying," he said. "I need to [remind] you and everyone that we won" the group.

Even so, ESPN's account of the loss pointed to real concerns: defensive errors from the center-back pairing of Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson, a midfield that did not protect the back line, and a late-game lapse in concentration. "Maybe too many guys behind the ball and not enough in front of the ball," Berhalter said. Defender Chris Richards framed the night as "a learning opportunity rather than a gut punch."

What's next

The US faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, ESPN reported, and Pochettino's calculus over Pulisic's minutes will be central. The reserves who started against Turkiye showed the coach can rest his first choices, but also that the drop-off to the bench is real. For a nation hosting its first World Cup in a generation, the group stage ended with a stumble — and a captain who looks ready, at last, to carry the load.