By Reuters – published by CNA, and AFP – published by Yahoo!News
INGLEWOOD, California: The 2026 World Cup became the highest-scoring edition in the tournament’s history during the United States’ Group D match against Turkey on Thursday, with Auston Trusty’s early opener producing the record-breaking 173rd goal and eclipsing the previous mark of 172 set at Qatar 2022.
– Four more goals were scored after Trusty’s opener, with Turkey snatching a last-gasp 3-2 win to lift the tournament total to 177 goals.
– The record was broken in the 59th match of the 2026 World Cup.
– By comparison, the previous record of 172 goals was accumulated over all 64 matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
– The 2026 tournament features 104 matches, 40 more than the 64 played at Qatar 2022, following FIFA’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams.
– “Surpassing the previous highest of 172 goals from Qatar underscores the excitement and attacking prowess that have already made the 2026 @fifaworldcup so unforgettable,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Instagram.
Kaan Ayhan scored on the final kick of the match, and Turkey beat the United States 3-2 on Thursday night for its only win of the World Cup.
Auston Trusty scored in the third minute and Sebastian Berhalter got a tying goal early in the second half for the Americans, who had already won Group D with victories over Paraguay and Australia. Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s team will meet Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday.
Pochettino fielded nine new starters for this low-stakes game, but Christian Pulisic entered in the 58th minute. He hadn’t played since the first half of the Americans’ opener due to a calf injury.
Arda Güler and Orkun Kökçü scored in the first half of a resilient performance by Turkey, which had already been eliminated after losing its first two matches despite largely dominating both statistically.
Turkey improbably won in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Can Uzun got the ball in space on the back post and pushed it past sprawling goalkeeper Matt Turner to Ayhan, who slid to knock it home.
The game’s meaninglessness didn’t matter to the raucous sellout crowd that packed SoFi Stadium. The American team’s fan base has been energised by its strong start to this home World Cup — and this Los Angeles-area crowd was still chanting and standing when Berhalter airmailed a long corner to Trusty, who made the stadium shake when he banged it home inside the back post.
Trusty’s goal was the Americans’ seventh of the tournament, tying their scoring record for any World Cup before knockout play even begins.
Turkey evened it in the 10th minute with an excellent two-man game from Baris Alper Yilmaz and Güler, the 21-year-old Real Madrid rising star.
Güler then set up another goal in the 31st minute with a pass that eventually led to Kökçü’s close-range shot. Turkey scored on both of its shots on net in the first half.
Berhalter tied it in the 49th minute by running on to a loose ball about 20 yards from the net for a vicious strike.
Pulisic replaced Tim Weah in the 58th minute for his first game action since the first half of their 4-1 victory over Paraguay nearly two weeks ago.
Pulisic said this week that he is ready to play again after coming out at halftime with a calf injury in the Americans’ home World Cup opener. The AC Milan midfielder entered the 2-2 game to an enormous roar, and he created a scoring opportunity just a couple of minutes later with a dynamic run down the left side.
Pulisic nearly scored again in the 63rd minute, but his quick shot off a nice pass from Berhalter was knocked off the goalpost by Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, and Brenden Aaronson botched the resulting sitter.
CAPTIONS:
Top – Auston Trusty of the US scores their first goal past Turkey’s Ugurcan Cakir. Photo – Reuters /Lisi Niesner
Front Page – Sebastian Berhalter’s goal drew the US back level with Turkey. Photo – AFP/Patrick T. Fallon and published by Yahoo!News
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