U.s. Loss To Turkey In Final World Cup Group Match: A Small Bump, Or Cause For Concern?

Through nan first 2 games of this summer’s World Cup, nan U.S. was astir arsenic cleanable arsenic a squad could be. It won some games, ne'er trailed, gave up conscionable a extremity and won its group handily, playing pinch a verve and assurance that erased each nan doubts that had shadowed it coming in.

Then came Thursday.

With Mauricio Pochettino making a grounds 9 changes to a lineup that had fixed nan U.S. its astir successful commencement to a World Cup successful 96 years, nan B squad that closed nan group shape astatine SoFi Stadium pinch a 3-2 nonaccomplishment to Turkey served to punctual everyone really flawed this group tin be.

The backline was porous, goalie Matt Turner gave up goals connected nan first 2 shots he faced and pinch nan objection of midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who had a extremity and an assist, nary of nan starters really distinguished themselves. Whether immoderate of that matters won’t beryllium known until nan U.S. adjacent takes nan section successful nan knockout rounds, facing Bosnia and Herzegovina connected Wednesday successful Santa Clara.

For Pochettino, whose contempt for normal has been a hallmark of his team’s World Cup run, clearing his chair and getting a U.S.-record 23 players connected nan section successful nan group shape was much more important than nan result.

“The nonsubjective was to decorativeness first and we are first,” he said. “Now it is nan adjacent shape and it is going to beryllium a final. And we are ready. We are overmuch amended than earlier that crippled because we had players now pinch 90 minutes successful their legs and performing and fresh to thief if we request from nan opening aliases from nan bench. It’s each positive.”

Maybe. Sure, Christian Pulisic, who hadn’t played since nan first half of nan first game, sewage backmost connected nan section and looked bully successful a 32-minute cameo. But different than that nan crippled was meaningless since nan Americans had already won nan group and qualified for nan adjacent information while Turkey was going location nary matter nan result.

The U.S. came successful riding a immense activity of momentum, though, and that’s gone now, erased connected Kaan Ayhan’s extremity connected nan past touch of nan game.

Does that matter?

“No,” skipper Tim Ream said pinch conviction. “You conscionable move nan page.”

The acquisition nan domiciled players got, he said, is much important than nan last score.

“When we opportunity it didn’t mean anything, it’s still a meaningful game, right? It’s a World Cup game,” he said. “So it gives everybody a sensation of what life will beryllium for illustration if they are called upon and person to contribute.”

Midfielder Tyler Adams wasn’t truthful sure.

“I don’t cognize what it’s going to do,” he said. “I can’t foretell nan future. I don’t person an 8 shot successful beforehand of me. We’ll spot what happens.”

What Adams can opportunity pinch certainty, however, is that successful nan early nan U.S. will person nary room for error. The games are each elimination matches now and 13 players connected nan U.S. roster, including Adams, person knowledgeable that first hand, having mislaid successful nan information of 16 4 years agone successful Qatar.

Turner said it’s up to those veterans to impart that contented connected nan 13 who are playing successful their first World Cup.

“You request to really return attraction of nan boxes erstwhile it comes to knockout round. That’s nan biggest instruction that we learned,” said Turner, who started each 4 games successful nan past World Cup. “It’s not needfully really beautiful a style you play. The chances you create is important, [but] nan measurement you take sides your container is much important.

“Those games are going to beryllium decided by 1 goal, they’re going to beryllium narrow, and we’re going to person to beryllium compact and beryllium together, defensively, offensively, and return nan chances erstwhile they come.”

The U.S. did small of that Thursday.

After a Berhalter area group up Auston Trusty for nan first extremity successful nan 3rd minute, Turkey’s Arda Guler, a Real Madrid midfielder, tied nan people 7 minutes later, splitting a brace of U.S. defenders and moving onto a walk from Kenan Yildiz successful nan halfway of nan box, past lifting a changeable complete Turner.

Orkun Kokcu handed nan U.S. its first shortage of nan tourney erstwhile he recovered different large spread successful nan U.S. defense, redirecting a transverse from Eren Elmali successful from nan halfway of nan container to springiness Turkey a 2-1 lead.

Berhalter tied nan crippled again 4 minutes into nan 2nd half, latching onto a loose shot astatine nan apical of nan punishment area and one-hopping a right-footed changeable conscionable wrong nan adjacent post. The crippled stayed that measurement until Ayhan, who came connected pinch 2 minutes near successful regulation, slid betwixt 2 U.S. defenders to sound successful nan game-winner 8 minutes into stoppage time.

For Berhalter, 1 of a grounds 21 Americans to get a commencement successful this World Cup, Pochettino’s determination to clear his chair was not only a reward, it was mentation for what’s to come.

“It’s each small kid’s dream, crossed nan United States of America, to play successful a location World Cup. Just successful a World Cup successful general,” he said. “People made their debuts today, truthful congratulations everyone. This is what everybody looks guardant to.”

More important, he added, “we cognize everyone’s fresh to measurement up astatine immoderate moment.”

Which is bully because history suggests nan roadworthy up is astir nan get a batch much challenging. The nonaccomplishment to Turkey was nan Americans’ 10th consecutive to a UEFA team, moving their winless streak against European opponents to 12 successful a row.

Guess which continent Bosnia and Herzegovina, who nan U.S. faces next, is from?

Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this story.