WASHINGTON, June 8 — The United States suffered their third consecutive defeat under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, falling 2-1 to Turkey in a friendly match held yesterday in Hartford, Connecticut.
WASHINGTON, June 8 — The United States suffered their third consecutive defeat under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, falling 2-1 to Turkey in a friendly match held yesterday in Hartford, Connecticut.
Pochettino, whose team had previously lost to Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League finals in March, was without several key players, including captain and AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic. With the World Cup just under a year away — which the USA is co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico — the coach used this match to assess players on the fringes of the squad.
One of those players, Houston Dynamo midfielder Jack McGlynn, made an immediate impact by scoring a stunning goal just two minutes into the game. The 21-year-old picked up the ball on the right, cut inside, and curled a 20-yard shot into the far corner.
The USA started with intensity and purpose, but Turkey gradually settled and began to press the American defense. Arda Guler squandered a golden opportunity when he fired over the bar while unmarked in the box, and Orkun Kokcu forced a strong save from debutant goalkeeper Matt Freese.
Turkey equalized in the 24th minute, capitalizing on a mistake by USA midfielder Johnny Cardoso. Attempting to play out from the back, Cardoso struck the ball off Guler, and the ricochet bounced past Freese and into the net.
Just three minutes later, Turkey took the lead when the USA failed to clear their lines and the ball landed at the feet of Kerem Akturkoglu, who drilled home.
The second half saw a much-improved USA performance. Max Arfsten narrowly missed a header from close range, and Patrick Agyemang tested the keeper, but the best chance fell to Malik Tillman. Substitute Tyler Adams delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, but Tillman’s header went straight at Turkish goalkeeper Berke Ozer.
In the final moments, Turkey had a chance to seal the win with a third goal on a quick counter, but Baris Alper Yilmaz missed the target.
Midfielder Tyler Adams offered a more optimistic outlook after the match: “For the first time in a few camps, there were more positives than negatives,” he said. “Back in March, I would’ve said we were a long way off, but after today’s performance, there are definitely more positives to take.”
The USA will next face Switzerland on Tuesday in Nashville. — AFP
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