A last-gasp defeat against Turkiye will not be enough to take the shine off what had otherwise been an incredible group-stage campaign for the USMNT. Having already secured top spot in the group before kickoff, some fans were left frustrated by the dramatic loss, but former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas urged supporters to keep the bigger picture in mind. For him, the disappointment reflected how much expectations around the national team have changed rather than signalling a major setback.

Lalas quoted a fan on X who expressed concern that the defeat had halted the team’s momentum.

“We can dwell on the loss to Türkiye or move on. The disappointment, even while being in the winning group, is actually a sign of higher expectations, which is a good thing. But now all that matters, and all that will be remembered, is Bosnia. Plenty of momentum still to harness. Onward. 🇺🇸⚽️,” he wrote on X.

The USMNT opted to rotate heavily for its final group-stage match after head coach Mauricio Pochettino decided to protect several regular starters with the standings already settled. Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards and Folarin Balogun were all left out of the starting lineup after carrying yellow cards, while Christian Pulisic began the match on the bench as he continued his return from a calf injury.

Weston McKennie was the only regular starter retained from the victory over Australia. Auston Trusty gave the Americans an early lead as they chased what would have been their first-ever perfect World Cup group stage.

But Turkiye fought back to take a 2-1 lead before Sebastian Berhalter equalized early in the second half. The United States created several chances to win after Pulisic’s introduction, but goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır produced a string of important saves. Then, with virtually the final kick of the match, Kaan Ayhan scored to hand the Americans a dramatic 3-2 defeat.

“This whole new group of players has the opportunity to come out here today and grab hold of that responsibility and, in doing so, continue the momentum,” Lalas told The Mirror US before the kickoff at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Although the result did not go the United States’ way, Lalas’ postgame message remained consistent: the loss should be viewed in the context of a team that had already achieved its primary objective of winning the group.

The USMNT made a statement start to the tournament with a 4-1 rout of Paraguay before following it up with a 2-0 victory over Australia to record back-to-back World Cup wins for the first time since 1930. Securing first place with a game to spare also allowed Pochettino the rare luxury of resting key players ahead of the knockout rounds, and Lalas believes the overall campaign should give the squad confidence rather than concern.

The USMNT prepares for the Bosnia test

Not many expected the United States to clinch its group with a match to spare. That achievement alone raised expectations around a squad that entered the tournament with growing belief under Pochettino. The impressive start even sparked conversations about how far the Americans could go, but the defeat to Turkiye inevitably prompted fresh questions.

Lalas believes the team has to move on quickly and focus solely on its Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina. If the United States is to make a deep World Cup run, it now has to win five consecutive knockout matches, and Lalas believes the Bosnia game is where the campaign truly begins.

The players echoed that mindset after the final whistle. Midfielder Brenden Aaronson insisted the defeat had done little to dent the squad’s confidence.

“We lost the game, but I don’t think it was a game to lose. We had a lot of chances and we could have done better in some defensive plays… I still think it was a top game, and we need to move on, of course. But we’re full of confidence. I’m not worried about it.”

Bosnia finished third in Group B behind Switzerland and Canada, qualifying as one of the eight best third-placed teams. However, the USMNT cannot afford to underestimate its opponent.

Former USMNT midfielder Mike Grella believes the Americans should stick to the aggressive style that proved so effective earlier in the tournament.

“If you’re the USMNT, you want to spread them out and have width. You’re gonna create space and use overload runners, or if they shift, you will have space on the weak side where they can cross the ball. The suffocation that the US did against Paraguay and Australia, you want to see that to put Bosnia in a situation that’s too difficult for them,” he explained on CBS Sports Golazo.

The loss to Turkiye also offered Pochettino valuable lessons before the knockout stage. While the rotated lineup produced encouraging individual performances, it also highlighted areas that need tightening, particularly defensively, before facing Bosnia. Still, with qualification already secured and several key players rested, the defeat ultimately changed little about the United States’ position heading into the tournament’s win-or-go-home phase.