USMNT Falls 2-1 to Turkey

Jack McGlynn, Luca de la Torre, and Johnny Cardoso were the heart of the USMNT today in the friendly match between the United States and Turkey, played in East Hartford, Connecticut, where the Turks secured a 2-1 victory.

For this match, U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino fielded a new lineup made up of players who had never played together before, but they left a good impression, especially in the first 20 minutes, with their associative play, ball possession, and runs along the flanks.

In the 1st minute, the United States took the lead 1-0, following the strategic vision of goalkeeper Fresse, Chris Richards, and Malik Tillman, who delivered a long pass from his goal to Jack McGlynn. McGlynn made a blazing run down the wing and, as he approached the box, unleashed a powerful shot that found the back of the Turkish net.

Arfsten, Robinson, Richards, and Freeman formed key partnerships with Luca de la Torre, providing solid build-up play and fluid transitions into attack for the USMNT.

The standout for Turkey was Arda Güler, who commanded both the midfield and the Turkish offense. He scored the equalizer in the 24th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after a mistake by Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso.

From that point on, Turkey was superior in ball possession, attack, and their momentum paid off: Turkey went up 2-0 on the scoreboard with a goal by Aktürkoğlu that came from a turnover by Diego Luna. A brilliant move by Güler in ball distribution and positioning — led by the Real Madrid player — set it up, and the quick triangulations created chaos in the U.S. defense, which was left flat-footed.

Second Half

In the second half, the U.S. regrouped and took control of possession. The Turks launched only one dangerous attack, allowing the Americans to dictate the rhythm of play, although they failed to create real danger, except for one threatening run by Arfsten and another by Agyemang.

This result leaves many questions for Mauricio Pochettino regarding which squad he will take to the Gold Cup, especially following the match against Turkey and the upcoming game against Switzerland on June 10.

While Turkey is not considered a powerhouse, they were a solid sparring partner for the U.S., pushing the team defensively and applying pressure in midfield. This marks Mauricio Pochettino’s third loss at the helm of the USMNT.

USMNT Goal
1-0 vs Turkey – Minute 1

A stupendous strike from @JackMcGlynn7 right from the start! 🚀#USMNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/d8gtWhqgF9

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 7, 2025

Line Ups

Patrick Agyemang gets the start in his hometown!#USMNT x The @HomeDepot pic.twitter.com/PWWalfDsfH

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 7, 2025