The United States lost its first game of the World Cup, but it did not matter to the standings: Turkiye won 3-2 at SoFi Stadium on a Kaan Ayhan goal on the final kick of the match, and the US, which had already clinched the Round of 32 with its win over Australia, advances regardless. It was a textbook dead rubber: with the group wrapped up, Mauricio Pochettino rotated heavily and rested starters, while an eliminated Turkiye named its strongest XI. Auston Trusty headed the US in front early and Sebastian Berhalter equalized from 20 yards in the 49th, but Arda Guler, Orkun Kokcu and Ayhan scored for Turkiye. The betting lesson is the familiar one: the US was a -125 favorite even in rotation, and the live underdog (Turkiye +290) plus the over were the value, not the chalk; five goals meant the over 2.5 cashed comfortably. The USMNT moves on to the knockout round, where it is set to meet Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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