USMNT Secures Group D First Place Despite Loss to Turkey

The United States Men's National Team concluded Group D action with a 2-0 victory over Australia and a 3-2 loss to Turkey, clinching first place in the group and advancing to the Round of 32.

Forward Christian Pulisic missed the Australia match due to a calf injury but returned as a substitute against Turkey.

Match 2: USA 2, Australia 0

June 19, 2026 | Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington | Attendance: 66,925

The match kicked off at 3 p.m. ET and was broadcast on Fox, Telemundo, FOX One, and Peacock.

Timeline of Goals

• 11th Minute (Own Goal): Forward Folarin Balogun's run and cross was deflected into the net by Australian defender Cameron Burgess.
• 43rd Minute (Alex Freeman): Following a free kick, a shot by defender Sergiño Dest was deflected high into the air. Defender Alex Freeman outjumped Australia goalkeeper Patrick Beach and headed the ball in from close range. The goal was confirmed after video review.

Team & Player Notes

• Forward Christian Pulisic was ruled out due to a calf injury sustained in the opening match against Paraguay. He was replaced in the starting lineup by forward Ricardo Pepi. Manager Mauricio Pochettino stated that Pulisic's recovery was progressing well.
• The USMNT recorded its first clean sheet in 10 matches.
• Manager Pochettino started with two strikers (Balogun and Pepi) for the first time in his tenure.
• Alex Freeman scored his first World Cup goal and became the sixth youngest USMNT World Cup goalscorer.
• Auston Trusty, Joe Scally, and Haji Wright made their World Cup debuts.
• The USMNT is unbeaten in six matches at Lumen Field in Seattle; the match was the team's first in Seattle since 2016.

Group Implications

The victory gave the USMNT six points from two matches, securing qualification for the Round of 32 with one group stage match remaining. This marks the first time the USMNT has qualified for a knockout round at the World Cup after just two group matches. The USMNT later clinched first place in Group D after Paraguay defeated Turkey 1-0, giving the US an insurmountable lead under FIFA's tiebreaker rules (head-to-head results).

Match Statistics

Match 3: USA 2, Turkey 3

June 25, 2026 | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California | Attendance: 70,492

The match kicked off at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT and was broadcast on Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock. Referee Mustapha Ghorbal of Algeria officiated. The match was a dead rubber as the US had already secured first place in Group D and Turkey had been eliminated.

Timeline of Goals

• 3rd Minute (USA 1-0): Defender Auston Trusty scored off a corner kick from midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, marking his first international goal.
• 10th Minute (Turkey 1-1): Forward Barış Alper-Yılmaz provided an assist for midfielder Arda Güler to equalize.
• 31st Minute (Turkey 2-1): Midfielder Orkun Kökçü scored, set up by defender Eren Elmali and Arda Güler.
• 49th Minute (USA 2-2): Sebastian Berhalter equalized with a long-range shot.
• 90+8 Minute (Turkey 3-2): Substitute Kaan Ayhan scored the winning goal from close range.

Team & Player Notes

• Manager Pochettino made nine changes to the starting lineup, the most by any US coach in consecutive World Cup games. Midfielder Weston McKennie was the only player retained from the previous starting XI.
• Forward Christian Pulisic returned from a calf injury as a second-half substitute.
• Players with yellow card concerns who were rested included midfielder Tyler Adams, defender Antonee Robinson, defender Chris Richards, and forward Folarin Balogun. A second yellow card would have resulted in suspension for the Round of 32. Yellow cards are cleared after the group stage.
• Midfielder Cristian Roldan was ruled out with a strained quadriceps.
• Sebastian Berhalter, making his first World Cup start, scored a goal and had an assist.

Christian Pulisic Injury Timeline

• June 13 (vs. Paraguay): Pulisic sustained a left calf injury after being kicked in the back of his leg during the USMNT's 4-1 win. He contributed to the first two goals before exiting at halftime. A U.S. Soccer spokesperson described him as "day-to-day."
• June 14-17: Pulisic participated in modified training, wearing a compression sleeve on his left calf and doing light passing drills. He did not participate in full training in the days leading up to the Australia match.
• June 18: Pochettino confirmed that Pulisic would not be available for the match against Australia.
• June 22: Pulisic trained with the US national team for the first time since the injury, working without the protective calf sleeve.
• June 25 (vs. Turkey): Pulisic stated he was "feeling good" and returned as a second-half substitute.

Group D Standings & Knockout Stage

Final Group D Standings

The USMNT finished Group D with 6 points. The team is in first place.

Knockout Stage Match

The USMNT will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. A Round of 16 match is expected in Seattle, with a potential quarterfinal at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.