Turkiye vs USA Predictions

• United States have won the group and Turkiye have already been eliminated
• The US have lost their last nine matches against European nations
• Turkiye beat the US 2-1 when they last met
• Baris Alper Yilmaz has scored two goals in his last four international appearances

Pochettino tipped to rest key men against Turks

There only pride at stake when the United States finish off a highly successful Group D campaign against Turkiye in Los Angeles this week. Mauricio Pochettino’s side pummelled Paraguay and outplayed the Socceroos to secure their place in the knockout phase with a game to spare, affording the coach a chance to rest some key players.

Christian Pulisic sparkled in the opener, but Falorin Balogun was able to make an impact in the second even without the injured talisman in the side. Neither seems likely to start this match against a Turkiye team who have underwhelmed in two disappointing defeats.

The Crescent-Stars dominated Friday’s bad-tempered match against Paraguay in Santa Clara but couldn’t make any of their 32 goal attempts count. Deniz Gul and Arder Guler were among the guilty parties to miss chances, but Vincenzo Montella could keep faith with some young players for this final clash.

Montella’s men can salvage some pride 

Backing Turkiye to win this dead rubber makes sense if you look at it this way: they need to salvage some pride and the United States will not want to risk any further injuries. The US have lost their last nine matches against European nations, a run which began when they were eliminated from the last World Cup, and some of those defeats have not even been close.

Montella’s men were one of the teams that overcame them in a friendly last summer, coming from behind in a rainy day in East Hartford to win 2-1. They have the quality, particularly in the wide attacking areas, to pin the co-hosts back and put them under pressure.

It may only take one goal to settle this clash and Baris Alper Yilmaz, who came off the bench against Paraguay, appeals as a goalscorer play because of his recent international record.