USMNT Loses 2-1 to Turkey in Friendly Ahead of Gold Cup

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — The U.S. men’s national soccer team lost 2-1 to Turkey in a friendly at Pratt & Whitney Stadium on Saturday. This marks the team’s third consecutive defeat under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

The game began positively for the U.S., with a goal from Agyemang just a minute into play. However, the tide turned quickly when Turkey scored two goals within three minutes, with strikes from Güler and Kerem Aktürkoğlu in the 24th and 27th minutes, respectively.

The U.S. dropped to 5-4 under Pochettino, who took over following the firing of coach Gregg Berhalter after last year’s Copa América. The loss was painful for Pochettino, who stated, “I think this group of players are working so hard and I think we deserved a better result today.”

Despite an energetic start, the U.S. struggled to maintain momentum after conceding the first goal. Players like Cardoso and Agyemang showed glimpses of potential but ultimately lacked the finishing touches. Agyemang managed just one shot on target during the match.

With veterans unavailable for the Gold Cup, Pochettino is tasked with evaluating new talent. “These two weeks are important to prepare for the Gold Cup,” he added. The U.S. will next face Switzerland on Tuesday, a crucial game as they gear up for the Gold Cup, which begins on June 15.

Despite the disappointment, some players took positives from the match. Midfielder Tyler Adams noted, “For the first time probably in the past few camps we’re going to take a lot more positives away than negatives.” The team’s chemistry remains a focus as they work to establish a cohesive squad for the upcoming tournament.