Ayhan seals stunning Türkiye comeback against United States
Türkiye produced a remarkable stoppage-time winner to beat the United States 3–2 in Group D of the World Cup 2026 hub, with Ayhan’s goal deep into added time completing one of the most dramatic reversals of the tournament so far.
The United States made the perfect start when Trusty put them ahead in just the 3rd minute, threatening to put the group beyond Türkiye’s reach. But the response was swift. Güler levelled in the 10th minute, and Yılmaz turned the game on its head by making it 2–1 in the 31st minute.
United States fight back — only to be denied
The US refused to fold and restored parity through Berhalter in the 49th minute, setting up a nervy final phase that neither side could resolve through normal play. With the clock running deep into added time, Ayhan struck in the 90th+8th minute to hand Türkiye all three points in extraordinary fashion.
The defeat is a significant blow to the United States, though they retain top spot in live World Cup 2026 standings on 6 points from three games. Australia and Paraguay both sit on 4 points, with Türkiye now on 3 points following their third match.
The United States twice led in this contest and were within touching distance of confirming their position at the head of Group D, only to be undone by a late goal that will linger long in the memory of both sets of supporters.