World Cup 2026: Ahead of the knockout battle

Playing at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on the evening of June 25 local time, the U.S. team got off to a promising start by scoring within the first three minutes of the match. However, Turkey quickly equalized just minutes later with their first goal of the 2026 World Cup. Turkish player Kaan Ayhan found the net with the final shot of the game, securing the team's only win of the tournament.

"I think we put on a pretty great performance—it's just that... we couldn't hold the lead until the very end of the match, so it's a shame we lost, but still, we're very happy," female fan Tessa Lopez told a TTXVN reporter at the Fan Zone after the match ended.

The U.S. team had already secured their place in the knockout stage earlier after a 2-0 win over Australia on June 19. In their opening match, the U.S. also defeated Paraguay 4-1.

Speaking to a TTXVN reporter, male fan Kobell said: "Obviously this match wasn't decisive, but it truly reflects the team's strength, and I think our team can go very far. Our team won't stop at the round of 32. We're going all the way to the final."

This is the third time in history that the U.S. men's soccer team has won two matches in a single World Cup, following the 1930 and 2002 tournaments. The U.S. team's opponent in the round of 32 will be Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the match scheduled for July 1. If they win, they will head to Seattle for the round of 16. If they advance further, the U.S. will return to Inglewood, California, for the quarterfinals. If they continue to win, the team will go to Arlington, Texas, for the semifinals.

In World Cup history, the U.S. team has only won one knockout-stage match, defeating Mexico 2-0 at the 2002 World Cup. In this World Cup, the U.S. team is considered one of the tournament's notable squads due to home-field advantage and a high-quality roster. However, the result of their final group-stage match serves as a warning for the host nation as they head into a much tougher knockout phase.