June 08, (THEWILL) – The United States men’s national team (USMNT) suffered a third consecutive defeat under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, losing 2-1 to Turkey in an international friendly held in Hartford, Connecticut, late on Saturday. The result follows March losses to Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League, adding to a difficult start for the Argentine coach. The United States were without several key players, including captain Christian Pulisic, who was unavailable due to club commitments with AC Milan.
With just under a year until the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on home soil, Pochettino used the opportunity to test fringe members of the squad. One of them, Jack McGlynn of the Houston Dynamo, gave the hosts an early lead with a stunning strike in the second minute. The 21-year-old collected the ball on the right, cut inside, and curled a left-footed shot into the far corner from outside the box.
Turkey responded well, increasing their attacking pressure after the early setback. Arda Güler spurned a clear opportunity from close range, while Orkun Kökçü forced goalkeeper Matt Freese into a difficult save on his debut. The equaliser came in the 24th minute after a mistake from Johnny Cardoso, whose pass deflected off Güler and into the net. The visitors then went ahead shortly after, when Kerem Aktürkoğlu capitalised on a failed clearance to score.
The United States improved in the second half and created several chances to level the score. Max Arfsten sent a header wide, Patrick Agyemang tested the goalkeeper with a low shot, and Malik Tillman missed the best opportunity, heading straight at Berke Özer from close range. Substitute Tyler Adams had provided the cross, picking out Tillman at the back post.
Turkey nearly extended their lead late on following a swift counter-attack, but Barış Alper Yılmaz fired wide under little pressure. The final whistle confirmed a disappointing evening for the home side, who will now regroup with a focus on building cohesion before the World Cup kicks off in June 2026.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
