Sport: Soccer Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Mark McKenzie struggles as USMNT falls to Turkiye in group finale

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 26, 2026, 5:52 AM

Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Mark McKenzie struggles as USMNT falls to Turkiye in group finale

Summary

Mark McKenzie faced criticism for his defensive errors in the United States men's national team's loss to Turkiye, which concluded with a score of 3-2. The match, held at LA Stadium, had no impact on the standings as the USMNT had already secured first place in Group D. Coach Mauricio Pochettino utilized mostly reserve players, allowing key starters to rest ahead of the knockout stage starting against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite the loss, Pochettino emphasized the importance of preparing for the upcoming matches rather than focusing on this defeat.

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By the Numbers

•Mark McKenzie made key mistakes leading to Turkiye's goals.
•The match was meaningless for both teams' standings.
•Pochettino fielded mostly reserves to rest starters.
•USMNT will face Bosnia and Herzegovina next.

Latest Updates

5:52 AMYahoo Sports — Mark McKenzie's mistakes in loss to Turkiye a reminder of USMNT's vulnerability

What they're saying

"
When he could have been defending on the Turkiye goal that erased an early advantage for the United States men’s national team in their final group game of the 2026 World Cup, Mark McKenzie was being left behind by young star Arda Guler as if he’d forgotten which direction to run. When McKenzie could have been defending on the goal that put the USMNT behind for the first time in this tournament, he failed to step forward to cope with a waiting Orkun Kokcu as a cross was shipped in by Eren Elmali.
— Yahoo Sports

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