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| Third Straight Loss for USMNT: USA Falls 2-1 to Turkiye in Gold Cup Warm-Up Match. |
The U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) suffered another blow on Saturday, falling 2-1 to Turkiye in an international friendly match in East Hartford. This marks the team's third straight defeat, raising concerns just weeks before the start of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino’s squad came into this match already dealing with setbacks, with key players like Christian Pulisic unavailable. As a result, the lineup featured eight MLS players—something that hasn’t happened against European opposition outside of the December or January camp windows since May 2003.
Fast Start, but Momentum Didn't Last
Things actually started off well for the U.S. Just 59 seconds into the game, Jack McGlynn curled in a beautiful shot to the bottom-left corner of the net, giving the hosts an early 1-0 lead. That goal is now the fastest the USMNT has ever scored against a European team.
But Turkiye quickly turned the game around.
In the 18th minute, Arda Guler equalized in bizarre fashion when Johnny Cardoso’s attempted clearance hit him and deflected past goalkeeper Matt Freese. Just three minutes later, Kerem Akturkoglu gave Turkiye the lead with a powerful right-footed finish after a blocked cross fell right into his path.
Stronger Second Half, but No Equalizer
After halftime, the U.S. looked more dangerous and created several good chances. Max Arfsten came close with a header from a great cross by Luca de la Torre. Later, Malik Tillman had a decent shot on goal after a strong move by substitute Tyler Adams, but Berke Ozer was able to make the save.
Turkiye almost added a third late in the match after Tillman lost possession, but Baris Alper Yilmaz missed the target at the end of a quick counterattack.
Key Stats: Fast Start, but Defensive Struggles Remain
Even though the U.S. started off strong, Turkiye’s quick two-goal response showed ongoing issues with the American defense. The two goals came just two minutes and 22 seconds apart—making it the fastest pair of goals the USMNT has conceded since their 2018 loss to England.
Still, there were a few positives for Pochettino to build on. The U.S. generated an expected goals (xG) of 1.08 in the second half from 10 shots, while Turkiye only managed an xG of 0.21 from two attempts after the break. The opportunities were there—the finishing just didn’t deliver.
What’s Next for the USMNT?
Next up, the USMNT will face Switzerland in another friendly this Wednesday. Then, they’ll kick off their Gold Cup campaign with a match against Trinidad and Tobago.
Can Pochettino turn things around in time? Or will this losing streak carry over into the tournament?
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