FIFA World Cup 2026: Head coach Pochettino unfazed by Turkiye defeat as US top Group D standings
Inglewood, June 26
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino brushed aside concerns after his side suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Turkiye in their final FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match, insisting that finishing top of the group was always the team's primary objective.
Already assured of a place in the Round of 32, the United States made nine changes to their starting XI but were denied a positive finish when Kaan Ayhan scored a dramatic 98th-minute winner to hand already-eliminated Turkiye a memorable victory.
Despite the defeat, the hosts advanced as Group D winners and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara on Wednesday.
"At the moment, no one congratulated us for finishing first in our group," Pochettino told reporters after the match, according to Reuters. "I congratulate the players, the staff and the fans on finishing first in a very difficult group."
The Argentine admitted he was surprised that the focus remained on the defeat rather than his side securing top spot.
"Our objective was to finish first, and we finished first," he said. "I'm so positive, and I'm happy. Your questions are a little bit weird."
The United States made a flying start when defender Auston Trusty headed home Sebastian Berhalter's corner in the third minute.
Turkiye responded quickly through Arda Guler, who equalised in the 10th minute after combining with Baris Yilmaz. The Real Madrid midfielder also became Turkiye's youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer with his first strike in the tournament.
Orkun Kokcu then completed the turnaround in the 31st minute after being set up by Eren Elmali to give Turkiye a 2-1 lead at the break.
The hosts levelled almost immediately after halftime as Berhalter unleashed a powerful long-range effort in the 48th minute.
Pochettino introduced senior players, including Christian Pulisic, in search of a winner, but it was Turkiye who had the final say as Ayhan bundled home in the eighth minute of stoppage time to secure victory. Guler was named Player of the Match for his influential display.
Pochettino, however, said the result should be viewed in the context of a match where qualification scenarios had already been decided.
"Whenever a team has already qualified, and another team has already been knocked out, so many situations come into play," he added.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager also took encouragement from the performances of several players making their World Cup debuts.
"We are a much better team now than before," he said. "We qualified as number one, and we went to the next round. I need to remind you that we won the group."
While Turkiye bowed out of the tournament with a morale-boosting victory, the United States progressed to the knockout stage after topping Group D.
The hosts also reached another milestone, scoring eight goals in the tournament -- their highest tally in a single World Cup campaign, surpassing their previous best returns from the 1930 and 2002 editions.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian football fan, I'm just happy to see the sport growing globally. The US scoring 8 goals in a single World Cup is impressive - that's more than what many top teams manage. But one concern: the defense looked shaky against Turkiye. If they face a top European side in the knockouts, those 9 changes might cost them. Pochettino needs to find the right balance between rotation and momentum.
Interesting how even in a "meaningless" game, the intensity was there. That 98th-minute winner from Turkiye shows why football is the beautiful game - always dramatic. Pochettino's logic is sound though. In the Premier League, managers rest players before big Champions League ties all the time. The criticism feels a bit overblown, especially since they topped the group. But hey, American fans are passionate - I respect that.
"No one congratulated us for finishing first" - that line hit home. In India too, we focus so much on the negatives that we forget to appreciate the positives. That said, I do feel Pochettino could have at least kept a few senior players on for 60 minutes. Losing to an already-eliminated team, even with reserves, doesn't look great on paper. Still, onwards to Bosnia! 🇺🇸⚽
Berhalter's goal was a beauty! Long-range strikes are always satisfying to watch. Pochettino's approach reminds me of how Dhoni used to rotate players before knockout matches in cricket - give the squad players game time while keeping the core fresh. The real test comes against Bosnia. If they win that, nobody will remember this loss. Aur Poch bhi confident hai - "we are a much better team now than before." Faith rakho!
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