Next step: USA can't afford to stop momentum after World Cup defeat

Los Angeles Stadium - Was it a lesson or a disappointment? That's the question Team USA must decide after a surprise 3-2 loss to Türkiye in the final seconds of stoppage time Thursday night. After all, no matter what happened up to this point, the work of Americans will be judged by what happens next. The United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Will it be the team that won the hearts of the nation in the opening weeks of the World Cup, or the one that looked disjointed against Türkiye? The elimination stage resets everything and starts from scratch. "We want to continue in this tournament," said Chris Richards, who did not play due to a caution following a yellow card. "We've got a really strong team, really hungry. A lot of us who started the last few games were worried that we couldn't get on the field today, so ultimately that will light the fire in us to do the right thing in the next game." The USA entered the group finals in an unusual position. The team had already secured first place in Group D and qualification to the knockout stage, while Türkiye had already been eliminated from the tournament after two defeats. On paper, nothing seemed to matter. However, it was important for the players to maintain momentum - they talked about it all week. With the knockout round looming, where every match is a knockout round, they saw Thursday as an opportunity to build confidence.US head coach Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to his starting line-up from the previous match, including the surprise choice of putting Matt Turner in goal instead of Matt Freese. He also rested four key players - Richards, Tyler Adams, Anthony Robinson and Folarin Balogun - to avoid the risk of a second yellow card, which could lead to suspension in the next match. This gave several players who had barely played a chance to shine, and the Americans got off to a great start with Austin Trusty scoring his first international goal in the third minute. The USA gave up the lead before the break, but Sebastian Berghalter equalized with a powerful strike in the 49th minute. Despite plenty of promise in the second half - especially the introduction of Christin Pulisic - the United States were unable to finish their attacks and as the match wore on, the stadium felt like the game would end in a draw. That would have been enough, but with seconds left in stoppage time, Kaan Ayhan sent the ball into Turner's net with his right foot, giving Türkiye the lead and bringing the stadium to a standstill. After the match, the Americans looked depressed. They tried to talk about the positives of the evening - such as reaching the next round and many players making their World Cup debuts. But their body language said otherwise.Ricardo Pepi, who made his second straight start but failed to make an impact, walked quickly past reporters with the hood of his jersey covering most of his face. Pulisic, who came on in the second half after missing the last match with a calf injury, was quickly carried through the interview area by a US Soccer Association official and did not answer questions. Tim Wea, who said he was disappointed with his performance, took the blame for one of Türkiye's goals. Berghalter didn't even want to talk about his magnificent goal—he also had an assist, becoming the first American player to have both a goal and an assist in a World Cup game since 1966. "Take Me Home, Country Roads" was heard again in the stadium as the players circled the field after the final whistle, but this time it didn't sound as celebratory. "It's a gut punch for a lot of guys," Turner said, taking a deep breath. "I mean, this was our opportunity to go out there and show that we deserved to play, and we wanted it to be perfect. But this sport can be brutal, and no matter how well you play, it doesn't always show in the bottom line. So it's disappointing." Players are confident that the result will not affect the momentum or attitude in the future. They were pleased that at this point every healthy player on the roster had already taken the field in this tournament. Cristian Roldan, who is suffering from a quadriceps problem, is the only one who did not play.They were also pleased that Pulisic, who had not played since the first half of the match against Paraguay, was back on the pitch. Strange things happen at world championships. Germany, who had also already secured their place in the knockout stage, were also defeated in their final group match on Thursday. Now the Americans need to find a way to use this small test as fuel for further victories. "We need to move on, but we're full of confidence," Brandon Aaronson told reporters after the game. "I'm not worried about it. I'm not worried at all. I think the team is in great shape."---## Related Articles1. Mundial 2026 2. Mundial 2026