Your final group standings:
6 pts. – USA
4 pts. – Australia (0 goal difference)
4 pts. – Paraguay (-2 goal difference)
3 pts. – Turkey
My prediction of the final ranking of third-place teams (those with a game remaining in italic)
4 pts.
-
Congo DR
-
Ecuador (0 GD)
-
Sweden (0 GD)
-
Bosnia (-1 GD)
-
Croatia
-
Paraguay (-2 GD)
3 pts.
-
Senegal
-
South Korea (-1 GD)
-
Scotland (-3 GD)
-
Algeria
2 pts.
-
Iran
-
Uruguay
I’m not confident about the Croatia pick, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Iran or Uruguay move up to three points.
Scotland really have to root against Senegal.
Zach Neeley:
The US was much better for most of the half but they ran out of steam. Honestly, given how much more the game meant for Turkiye, who had the chance the leave with a sense of redemption instead of embarrassment, I liked the effort the US put in.
I think that’s fair – and I’d say again that the Trusty injury really through them for a loop. I just saw a replay of the goal, and the US defenders just had little sense of where they were supposed to be. How was Pulisic defending five yards from the goal line in the first place?
Weston McKennie: “I think the momentum will be there for sure. Everybody wants to go into the game winning the previous game. Obviously we didn’t do that tonight, but I think that’s going to motivate us even more.”
He says all 26 players on the roster can step up and do the job. You have to say that on behalf of your teammates, but that’s clearly not the case.
Zafer Say
xG’s are 2.71 to 2.06 in favour of Turkey. Obviously a scoreline of 3-2 does not flatter Turkey
xG is a neat stat – if you didn’t watch the game.
Auston Trusty says he rolled his ankle pretty badly but will be OK.
“They had what … three shots, three goals?”
I’m seeing three on target, but I could’ve sworn Turner made at least one save.
Mailbag
Rick McGahey:
“The former starter has done well – can’t really be faulted on the goals.” You cursed him.
Maybe, but that goal was really more of a defensive breakdown. You’d have to think that if Trusty had two good legs under him, that wouldn’t have happened. Turkey was playing 11 vs. 10.5.
Mary Waltz:
Tip of the hat to Turkiye. No yellow card suspensions, no injuries for USA. Good result considering everything.
There were indeed a lot of positives.
Scott Bassett:
And THAT is the problem, the late hit that turns the psychological tables for the 2nd string. Of course the players with yellow cards needed to be protected, but going toe-to-toe was a huge gamble and the intangible effects of losing like that after playing reasonably well... Of course USA USA USA still finish top but maybe going in hot does them better than going in hurt. Let’s see.
Peter Oh:
Hakan Şükür is my all-time favorite Turkey player too. Fond memories of the 2002 World Cup and Turkey’s impressive run to third place. Apparently he has lived in the Bay Area for years. It would be a dream come true to play pickup soccer with him someday!
Anyway, about the current team. With their legendary passion - some say addiction - to football, it’s surprising to see them quit the World Cup like this, cold Türkiye.
Now I feel slightly better about my accidental reference to Turkey subs.
The question asked earlier: Did anyone play well enough to merit consideration as a starter or a sub against Bosnia?
Starter, no. Pochettino will surely start the same XI that carved up Paraguay.
Subs? Reyna had a few dangerous moments and has already scored as a sub in this Cup. Trusty, if his injury isn’t too bad, could be a late defensive sub again. At center back, Richards and Ream won’t be worried about their job security.
One question: What’s the formation?
Fulltime: USA 2-3 Turkey
The scoreline flatters Turkey, which did little of consequence in the second half other than blocking shots and occasionally looking strong on the counter.
For the USA, the best news is that Pulisic is back and looking like Pulisic. The second half response was solid.
Goal! USA 2-3 Turkey (Ayhan 90 min +8)
Güler nutmegs Pulisic. Turkey cycles the ball around. Uzun is near the post. He slips it past Turner and it gets to Ayhan to poke home.
Updated
90 min +8 The US defense is a bit casual, and they have to send a bouncing backpass to Turner. Not what goalkeepers want.
90 min +7 Dangerous cross, but Turner gets it. The former starter has done well – can’t really be faulted on the goals.
90 min +6 Australia and Paraguay drew.
90 min +5 USA have possession now, somehow. Berhalter to Pulisic to Pepi, his shot is blocked, and a handball is called on Pepi in a circumstance in which referees are specifically told not to call handball. If it deflects off your body into your arm, it’s not handball.
90 min +4 Zendejas takes a close-range shot to … oh dear … ouch.
90 min +4 Trusty comes back in. Turkey now taking their time in possession.
Updated
90 min +3 Zendejas shoots, blocked, USA slips, and here comes that Turkish counter.
90 min +1 Trusty is still down. There are no more subs to make. The USA may be finishing this game 10v11.
Seven minutes of stoppage time signaled, but it’ll be more.
Turkey will make more subs. The last round was Ayhan in for Kökçü. Now Müldür is in for Aydin and Kahveci is in for Alper Yilmaz. Is this Turkey playing to hold on to the draw?
Trusty has to be out for a minute because he was treated on the field. We’ll see if he gets back on the field at all.
90 min Pulisic gets fouled. USA move forward, and now Trusty is down.
Updated
89 min I’ll get back to the Turkey subs in a minute (pardon the pun) but I have to report that Trusty defended brilliantly while Alper Yılmaz tried to get him in a kimura. Turner collects.
88 min Pulisic and Zendejas combine. The AR raises a flag for an offside call that, given current VAR and tech, does not merit a flag being raised.
87 min Paraguay-Australia is still 0-0, which would put Australia through in second place and Paraguay with a 99.99999% chance of advancing as a third-place team.
86 min Final US sub – Weston McKennie, the only player to start all three group games for the USA, will get a short break. Malik Tillman takes the field. The armband goes to Pulisic.
85 min Bad pass from Trusty, and Turkey have numbers forward. USA giving way too much space for my tastes.
84 min Turkey’s first subs – Çelik and Velfiz are out, Uzun and Söyüncü are in. Uzun is a forward for Eintracht Frankfurt.
83 min McKennie was so close to having a great shot, but he lost his footing. A mad scramble at the other end follows, with Güler faking Berhalter down the ground. Robinson finally heads clear.
82 min Turkey play keepaway and can’t get more than 30 yards up the field. USA steal.
81 min Kökçü’s speculative shot is high. USA in possession.
80 min Turkey possess for a long time, but Dest is a pest. US throw-in intended for Dest, but the USA have struggled with throw-ins tonight. What a weird aspect of the game to be struggling.
79 min Turkey possess in their own half, then break on the right. They swing to the left, and Yildiz gets in a shot/cross that Turner smartly grabs.
78 min USA play for Pepi, but possession is lost.
78 min Pulisic barely misses! Angled shot along the ground.
76 min HERE COMES THE CAVALRY.
Reyna’s out. Aaronson’s out. Scally’s out.
In comes Alex Freeman, one of the breakout starts of this tournament. Sergiño Dest is in. And Alex Zendejas gets his debut.
75 min Solid buildup with Pulisic, Aaronson, Scally and McKennie. Cleared for a throw-in.
We keep hearing that the USA have three subs waiting, but we haven’t seen it yet.
US corner.
74 min Finally, 30 seconds without a dangerous chance one way or the other.
73 min McKenzie fights through a jiu-jitsu hold to spark an attack on the left.
Updated
72 min McKennie’s Juventus teammate Yıldız beats Scally and unleashes a shot that curls just past the far post.
71 min Play resumes before I can finish the analogy and it’s a terrifying Turkish counter. Turner has to come out and play with his feet. It’s blocked and bounds into the box, but Turner out runs everyone to the ball.
USA immediately the other way to Aaronson, who loses the ball in the box.
An analogy for this game: Imagine a high school junior varsity game that has a couple of players moonlighting from the varsity. But one team has its hotshot sophomore dominating things until the other team brings in the kid who has barely played in high school at all because he’s in a pro academy.
67 min So many whistles! It’s a free kick! It’s a substitution! But wait – it’s hydration time!
66 min As I was saying – Turkey are dangerous on the counter, and Trusty has to come in from the left to the center to clear a ball a few yards in front of goal.
66 min McKennie gets a head to the corner kick, but he’s not really in position to get it on frame.
Replay shows Çakır got a fingertip to it. I think it would’ve hit the post anyway. And Pulisic didn’t shoot as much as he had the ball clanged off his shin. Would’ve been a wondrous fluke goal.
Çakır is hurt.
This half has been one-way traffic, but Turkey have looked dangerous on the counter.
63 min Turkey are essentially double-teaming Pulisic now.
But he drifts to the center and PUTS A SHOT OFF THE POST! Rebound to McKennie, blocked out for a corner.
Updated
62 min Berhalter springs Pulisic, who skips past a defender. His shot is saved, but the keeper has left the goal gaping. Aaronson rushes his shot on the rebound and sends it wide.
60 min Pulisic has it. The USA cycle the ball around, and Reyna chips it to him in space. The crowd roars and …
… his shot is deflected for a corner.
59 min Robinson again turns on the wheels to win a ball and stop a Turkish attack.
Pulisic is in
58 min Here comes the man who shredded Paraguay in his 45 minutes of action so far. Still young and among the USA’s all-time leading scorers.
Updated
Mary Waltz
This is becoming a very physical game and I don’t thinks the refs have control of it. I would pull McKennie and I would keep Pulisic on the bench. This fixture does not matter.
I have some bad news for you …
57 min Now Scally is offside.
Johnathan Kaszynski
Have any of the reserves played their way into consideration for the knockout rounds? Not for me, yet.
I think Pepi will resume his supersub role. I think Weah has played his way out of the rotation entirely. Berhalter and Reyna may be adequate subs as well.
55 min Weah with a good hustle play to keep a ball in play for Pepi.
Robinson disrupts a Turkish counter.
54 min I think a US player just fouled another US player, but that’s an optical illusion. Berhalter was fouled once again, and it’s a free kick.
53 min Free kick played out left to Weah, and cue cursing in every living room in the United States as he’s offside again!
52 min Aaronson with a through ball for Pepi, but he’s literally kept at arm’s length as the ball is shielded back to the keeper.
Throughout his career, the biggest questions about Sebastian Berhalter’s high-level readiness have been about his athleticism. He’s put in a ton of work on his agility and acceleration, but usually the slower players have to forge careers on their technique and mentality. He’s displayed both today, considerable end-product for a midfielder who plays as withdrawn as he does.
50 min Again, a second ball pops onto the field when a throw-in is supposed to be taken. This is happening a lot in this Cup, isn’t it?
Goal! USA 2-2 Turkey (Berhalter 49)
Turkey just never cleared it. Çakır only punched a ball that he could’ve caught. There’s a scramble. It comes out to the top of the box. There are about eight people between Berhalter and the goal, but it doesn’t matter. He gets over the ball and rips it into the net.
Updated
48 min: Aaronson earned a corner. Played short, back to Berhalter, over the top, shot deflected high and … never mind …
47 min: Pepi helps extend a US attack. Aaronson is knocked down, no call. McKennie aggressively wins it back, no call. Weah works down the left and tries to pass back to a teammate but can’t find anyone.
46 min: And we’re off …
More mail
Jim:
Maybe Fox can show some more celebrities in the crowd. Apparently they haven’t shown enough.
As I understand it, Fox doesn’t control the video. It’s the international feed. If someone can shed some light on that, please let me know.
Mary Waltz:
I want USA to win this game. The players on the field are dying to win this game. But this game is a dead rubber. It doesn’t matter. Poch needs to avoid injuries, avoid yellow cards that lead to missing the next game
I just want karma to strike any coach who gets that out of line with dissent. But a red card would do nicely.
Name not clear:
Weah is having a shocker. Poch has to get him out of there. He’s been painful to watch. Clear now why he is no longer a starter on this team…
A bit of news to digest before we restart:
Noteworthy: If the USA advance past Bosnia, they may very well face either Egypt or Iran in the round of 16.
Yes, there is a substantially better-than-zero chance of the USA facing the country with which they’ve been at war. At least it’s over. Right? I haven’t checked in the last five minutes, so I’m not sure.
I’ve checked in on the referee forum I frequent, and I think if I had to describe their take on this game’s referee so far, it would be “displeased.”
Granted, we’re all wondering how we’re supposed to keep coaches from running onto the field to protest calls when it’s not being punished at the World Cup.
The biggest issue here for the USA is that Arda Güler is the most highly touted player on this field for a reason. He’s tearing the midfield apart.
At the other end, it’s just painful watching Weah right now. He just can’t seem to control the ball or stay out of an offside position.
Halftime mail
Oliver Dungey:
I was going to write a rather cynical message about Poch fielding a second XI to protect his first XI from a chastening defeat by a Turkish team that’s been humiliated by bad luck. After just 3 mins of play, however, I was overcome with - what’s the opposite of cynicism? Optimism? Faith? - whatever it is, it overcame me as I marveled at this American team’s tactic of attacking with more than 2.5 players (unlike the majority of the teams languishing in third place in their group table). But that’s just what the World Cup does though, doesn’t it: it converts cynicism into joy. Gets me every time.
Scott Bassett:
What does Pochettino gain by allowing this helter-skelter performance to continue? This is madness. We need a US player to put his foot on the ball and control the pace. Allowing the team to try throwing haymakers for the whole game is a recipe for disaster.
Mary Waltz:
I have never been a fan of taking a corner short instead of sending it into the mixer. Too clever by half.
Also leaves the possibility that someone will be offside on a return pass. But occasionally, the short pass creates a good shooting or crossing angle.
Peter Oh:
Re: 45 min +5. I just finished playing pickup soccer at a park about 25 miles northeast of Sacramento and can report that we have not yet made visual contact with the Turkey clearance.
Halftime: USA 1-2 Turkey
It’s an entertaining international friendly. That’s basically it.
The takeaways would start with the fact that the US defense just isn’t up to the challenge here. Trusty and Scally have done very well going forward, but they’re being beaten, and Robinson and McKenzie are struggling.
If winning was the most important thing here, you’d see Richards and Ream racing onto the field to start the second half. But keeping Richards from picking up a second group-stage yellow in a testy game is of the utmost importance.
45 min +5 Çakır clears. The ball will eventually land, probably somewhere near Sacramento.
45 min +4 Turner snares a high cross from Aydin, and the USA build slowly … never mind, Berhalter plays long for Weah, who is offside again.
45 min +3 Reyna earns another US corner. They don’t put a lot of numbers in the box, but Trusty somehow outleaps everyone and sends a header just over the bar.
45 min +2 A couple of giveaways, a long Turkish cross, but Scally marks it well and Turner collects.
45 min +1 We’ll have six minutes of stoppage time, and we’ll start with Berhalter getting fouled and going nose-to-nose with another player, a dangerous thing to do when you’re already on a yellow.
45 min Weah momentarily beats his man but can’t quite do anything with it.
Ball is scrambled out but McKennie blasts a shot from 30 that forces a save. It’s pushed away, but no US player is there for the rebound.
44 min Foul on Turkey during the scramble off the corner kick.
I said 4-3, right? I have no idea which way.
43 min Reyna tries to find a seam to shoot but can’t find it.
Back the other way, Yildiz blasts the ball off Robinson for a corner.
Updated
42 min Berhalter alertly intercepts to break up a Turkish counter.
41 min McKennie has Scally overlapping, and his cross is blocked out for a corner. Pepi helped spark the attack.
40 min The referee calls a foul on what I can only surmise was an apparition, because no one was near the Turkish player who supposedly drew the foul. Free kick in a dangerous location. Ball goes to the far post and shot at an acute angle, deflected off Robinson.
39 min Weah gets involved, but his shot is right at the keeper, and he was offside.
39 min Berhalter wins a 50-50 ball and gets a shot to his leg for his troubles.
38 min Finally some calm possession for the USA.
37 min Turkey push through the middle, but the USA now have numbers back out of desperation.
35 min Not for the first time in the tournament, an extra ball finds its way to a spot near a throw-in.
34 min Bad giveaway at the back, and the USA are lucky that an overeager pass rolls gently to Turner.
Goal! USA 1-2 Turkey (Kökçü 31)
Overlapping run from Elmali catches Scally unaware, and he plays back for Kökçü to blast it into the net from 12 yards out.
Updated
No goal: USA
Mark McKenzie gets the ball in the net off a scramble, but a couple of players were in an offside position. The ball deflected off a Turkish defender, but he didn’t really play the ball, so the offside call stands.
Looked like the ball hit the defender’s arm, but …
Updated
28 min McKenzie gets slammed, gets up and gets in the face of his assailant. USA play on and win a corner.
Cristian Roldan giving Sebastian Berhalter some last minute advice and coaching coming out of that hydration break. Cue Jack Edwards: “That’s why he’s here!”
Very funny hydration break, where the US (who will play again after today) are huddled and trying to adjust for the second quarter, while Turkey (who are already eliminated) pretty much took a guzzle and went right back to their positions far away from their coach.
Updated
Mailbag
Russell Yong:
I think Turkey are nowhere near as good as many (and even they) seemed to think they were, but I will give them that they have been pretty unlucky. Anyone who takes lots of shots, even potshots, eventually sees one go in, but not them, at least not so far. I would like to see at least one goal for them today (literally everyone else except Panama has had one), though I think even a second-string USA will ultimately have too much for them.
Favourite Turkish player, well, I used to like Emre a lot before he showed himself to be a racist nitwit, so it’s a toss between Ilhan Mansiz (breakout player of WC 2002 and one all the girls in school swooned over, even the ones who didn’t care about football) and Nihat Kahveci, who was a brilliant winger and so nearly won a fairytale La Liga with Real Sociedad.
Mac Millings:
It wasn’t just Brad Pitt (10 min), it was Brad Pitt and Edward Norton! Fight Club sequel anyone? ‘Fight Club (Rule) 2: You Still Don’t Talk About Fight Club.’
Justin Kavanagh:
Any offers for the breakout star of this World Cup should come to me, Own’s Mr. 15% here in the USA. We are very pleased with his strike rate thus far, and are confident he’ll be on the score sheet again tonight. As for the USA, I sincerely hope that there’s a banner in the stadium tonight proclaiming Poch is the Bosphorus.
Everybody hydrate!
23 min Trusty intercepts a pass, and the USA clear, but it’s rushed, and Turkey reclaim possession.
22 min On the ensuing free kick, Turkey run a trick play and do not get their treat.
21 min Berhalter fouls again. Have to be careful now.
18 min Turkey’s coaches and reserve players are not happy with Mustapha Ghorbal, the Algerian referee. Berhalter gets yellow for a late tackle that ends with a hard step on an ankle, but surely some people on Turkey’s bench are flirting with yellow cards of their own.
17 min Trusty hits a ball over the top for Pepi, who has to drift over to collect it. He lays it back and the USA go from right to left but send the ball out of play.
16 min This game could end up 4-3. This second string-plus-McKennie lineup has a potent attack, but the defense look porous.
15 min Reyna joins Scally and McKennie in an attack on the right. He crosses, and it goes across for a throw-in. Weah throws it in … to a Turkish player.
13 min McKennie goes on a Han Solo-style me-against-everyone run down the right, and Turkey can’t catch him. He lays it back to Aaronson, whose first shot is blocked and whose second shot forces Çakır to save.
Fun game so far.
Goal! USA 1-1 Turkey (Güler 10)
Just sloppy at the back. McKenzie and Robinson get their signals crossed, Turkey play a quick back-and-forth, and Alper Yılmaz sets up the Real Madrid midfielder Güler to shoot past Matt Turner and equalize.
Updated
10 min Was that Brad Pitt?
Back on the field, Turkey slowly work their way through US pressure.
8 min Reyna takes flight and nearly somersaults in the air after a foul by Kökçü.
7 min Alper Yılmaz smashes into Scally as the US defender gains control of the ball. USA play long and get a bit of possession, but Aaronson is tackled cleanly.
6 min Aaronson and McKennie combine, but McKennie’s return pass is a little bit behind the Leeds forward.
5 min McKennie tracks back and nonchalantly takes the ball away as if picking up a soda can left on a coffee table.
4 min Miles Robinson cleans up his own mess at the back, giving the ball away but immediately reclaiming it.
“Trusty” is such a good name for a defender, and also for a far-post set piece lurker. For all the talk of this being a meaningless game, this group seems ready to keep entertaining. Hell of a finish from the Celtic man!
Goal! USA 1-0 Turkey (Trusty 3)
Another corner kick, bounces around a bit, and the Celtic defender scores from an acute angle.
Updated
2 min WHAT A START for the USA. McKennie and Trusty had chances on that corner kick and forced a sprawling save from Çakır.
1 min Gio Reyna blasts a shot after a solid buildup on the right. Blocked out for a corner.
Peep! Here we go …
Quick inbox check:
Joe Pearson: “As an older man, let’s just say that when the players are getting hydrated, I am usually dehydrating, so to speak.”
Among the very few joys of taking this one in from within a totally-enclosed press box, which should be outlawed from all stadiums: When the Turkey national anthem played, we could hear our colleagues from down the row singing along, clapping just like the players and fans when it was finished. Generally there’s a rule against cheering in the press box, but in this case I’ll make an exception. That was great.
A few things I’ll be watching for, assuming all four players on a yellow card will truly be withheld.
1. How does Gio Reyna fare in his first World Cup start? He was fairly ineffective in his one start against Senegal before a halftime hook. He appears to be firmly behind McKennie and Tillman in the midfield queue, so not necessarily pushing to start against BIH, but a strong showing here could get him off the bench sooner than he has thus far.
2. Can Matt Turner force another wave of goalkeeper consternation? Matt Freese hasn’t been overworked thus far, facing just 13 shots and four on-target in 180 minutes, but his command of area has been lacking and both Paraguay and Australia were able to get a cross onto a target’s forehead within eight yards in the opening 10 minutes. No team has outshot Turkey thus far, so Turner should be kept busy.
3. Can Ricardo Pepi add end product to his international portfolio? The PSV forward has struggled to consistently score beyond Concacaf competition, but his work off the ball and pressing, plus in build-up, made him a key figure in a surprise start against Australia.
The crowd is singing the US national anthem – quite a bit behind the sprightly canned instrumental version playing in the stadium.
I’ve never been a big fan of what I call the “boom-crash” arrangement of the anthem. “Oh say can you (boom-crash) by the dawn’s early (boom-crash).” I’ve spent time in a percussion section myself, but it’s a bit much.
What was thought to be all but certain has now been confirmed: Fifa’s web site says that no matter what happens tonight or in future games, the United States’ opponents in the Round of 32 will indeed be Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A mild cheer erupts when Alexi Lalas is shown on the big screen. He salutes and soaks up the cheers. Clint Dempsey, standing next to him preparing for his Fox appearance, turns around, realizes the cameras are on him, and salutes the crowd himself. The crowd then roars.
Injury note: Cristian Roldan is unavailable for the USA.
Star watch
Fotmob also has estimated transfer values for each player, and Turkey’s 21-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler is listed at $100m. If you take out the top two players in the US starting XI (Pepi $30m, Weah $26m), he’s worth more than the remaining nine.
Kenan Yıldız, McKennie’s teammate at Juventus, is listed at $94m.
Turkish frustration
Two losses, no goals. But it’s not for a lack of trying.
Stats from Fotmob:
Game 1 vs. Australia: 30 shots, 8 shots on target, 1.36 xG
Game 2 vs. Paraguay: 32 shots, 5 shots on target, 2.17 xG
Against Paraguay, they completed 559 passes to Paraguay’s 96.
Alex, I know a few former Secret Service agents. I’ll put in a good word for you.
A good amount of Secret Service agents are set up at the front of the VIP boxes down on the 100 level. Security is fairly tight; a lot of suspicious looks if you’re not a ticket holder (which I’m obviously not). Unsurprising, since Kamala Harris and Second Lady Usha Vance are expected to be in attendance tonight.
Questions for readers:
1. Who’s your favorite all-time Turkey player? Mine: Hakan Şükür, “the Bull of the Bosphorus.”
2. What’s your least favorite ad that’s shown during Cup coverage? Mine: The one with Alex Morgan sniffing about how her goal celebration against England was overblown, but I was one of the critics, so maybe I’m a little biased.
3. Do you raid the fridge during hydration breaks, and what do you get? Mine: More caffeine-free diet soda.
If you’d prefer to follow a game that has qualification for the next round at stake, please join Jonathan Howcroft for Australia-Paraguay coverage.
But you know you can have multiple tabs open, right? If you’re on the mobile app, just set your browser to whichever game you don’t have on the app, and you can hop back and forth.
Kudos to Jonathan for mentioning the ever-entertaining Jose Luis Chilavert.
Mary Waltz writes:
I am so happy and proud of the USMNT performance so far. It has been so much better than I expected. I understand why Poch is doing the believe routine. But really folks, Spain, France, Argentina even Portugal and England are a step above us in quality. We would probably have to beat at least 2 of those team to win the trophy. I just can’t see it.
Yeah, but the USA always beat or draw England in the World Cup, and England have a thing about going to penalties.
My Bracketology has France over Argentina in the final and Spain over England in the third-place game. But I could just as easily see Mexico over England in the round of 16.
If you’d like to tinker with possible matchups, give it a shot …
The seats are filling in here at Los Angeles Stadium, and it’s definitely a boisterous atmosphere. However, there’s no escaping that the distinct lack of tension. The US are through as group winners, the fans know it, and Pochettino’s lineup indicates as much.
Starting XIs: Nine changes for USA
And yet, there’s no Pulisic. The only holdovers from the Australia game are Weston McKennie, who gets the captain’s armband, and Ricardo Pepi, who deputized for the injured Pulisic.
Turkey make seven changes, noted in italics below.
USA: Turner; Trusty, Robinson, McKenzie, Scally; Reyna, McKennie, Berhalter; Pepi, Aaronson, Weah
Turkey: Çakır; Çelik, Elmali, Bardakcı, Kabak; Özcan, Kökçü; Güler, Yıldız, Alper Yılmaz, Aydin
Updated
Topic A: Could the USA really win this?
The USA’s bright start has awakened an unusual feeling in the country of 342 million or so people. Optimism.
It’s not just that they’ve won their first two games. It’s that they’ve done so convincingly while most of the typical tournament favorites have faltered. Spain drew with Cape Verde. England couldn’t break down Ghana.
But France and Argentina have looked quite good as well. So have another host nation, Mexico.
Here’s the funny thing – the USA will likely avoid all those teams for a while.
In the round of 32, they’ll face a team that finished third in their group – at this stage, most likely Bosnia. Win that, and they’ll face either the winner of Group G (likely Egypt, but potentially Iran – yes, Iran) or another third-place team. The most likely quarterfinal matchup would be against Spain – a favorite, yes, but again, the team that drew Cape Verde.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the bracket, Mexico may face England in the round of 16. France will likely need to go through Germany and the Netherlands to get to the semifinals.
The 48-team format has been vindicated somewhat by the minnows’ inspiring performances. But the draw has been quirky, to say the least.
Not the USA will mind if they cruise to the quarterfinals. But that’s not at all guaranteed. As well as this team have played, they could lose to Bosnia. Or Egypt. (Can you imagine Iran?)
Also seeking a spot in the knockout rounds …
… is our referee, Mustapha Ghorbal. He and fellow Algerians Mokrane Gourari and Abbes Akram Zerhouni are the on-field crew.
The UAE contributes fourth official Omar Al Ali and reserve official Mohammed Alhammadi.
Staring into the TV like the family in Poltergeist will be VAR official Antonio Garcia of Uruguay, joined in the room by Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt) and Juan Lara (Chile).
The USA already suffered a setback in the round of 32 sweepstakes today when Tori Penso was involved in two questionable calls in the Ecuador-Germany game. Earlier, she had done a fantastic job with the Czechia-South Africa game. Armando Villarreal was the subject of one of the more colorful officiating critiques of this tournament, with Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz saying the US ref must have gone for coffee instead of recommending a review of a potential foul when England’s Ezri Konzi clattered into Prince Adu in the penalty area.
Ismail Elfath made it to the round of 16 in 2022. He takes the whistle for the second time in this Cup when Uruguay and Spain meet in a game most casual observers have surely circled as one to watch.
Ghorbal is also on his second game. He gave four yellow cards in Scotland’s 1-0 win over Haiti.
Oh, and the other thing to watch: Oh. As in Peter Oh and what witticism he will contribute.
We also must consider the Golden Boot race, in which Own Goal is the runaway leader. I understand Liverpool are now offering 100 million Euros but aren’t sure where to wire the money.
Preamble
Let’s begin with a quick look at what’s at stake …
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OK, now that we’ve finished with that, let’s talk about some things to watch:
1. Is Christian Pulisic actually healthy now? That might not be answered in this game, but a good 45-60 minutes would reassure some fans.
2. Will we see the Great Gio Reyna Breakout Game? The controversies of years past seem far behind.
3. Mauricio Pochettino is expected to make his four players on yellow cards sit out. Those players are arguably the most important four players on the roster – left back Antonee Robinson, center back Chris Richards, midfield cornerstone Tyler Adams and striker Folarin Balogun. Those players will undoubtedly be back in the round of 32, but will anyone step up to claim a spot as the first person off the bench?
4. Will we get an angry Turkey determined to get something out of this Cup, or will we see a team that’s just ready to get to LAX and board the plane out of town?
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a briefing from Graham Ruthven’s daily watch guide on what to know about this Group D matchup:
What to watch for
Few teams have progressed through their opening two matches of this World Cup more comfortably than the USA. On paper, Thursday’s encounter with Turkey looked to be their biggest test when Group D was drawn. With Turkey already out, though, it’s unclear what this match will hold.
Turkey’s early elimination from the tournament was a shock, especially considering Vincenzo Montella’s team are ranked 11th out of 48 sides for expected goals (xG) and 10th for big chances created. They could take out some pent-up anger on the co-hosts in Los Angeles before heading home.
Player to watch: Ricardo Pepi, USA – Pochettino could rotate his lineup for a dead-rubber and start Ricardo Pepi, giving the PSV forward an opportunity to make his mark and prove why he should be ahead of Folarin Balogun in the pecking order.
