The preparations for the United States for the Concacaf Gold Cup started badly because they were beaten 2-1 on Saturday by Turkiye in an international friendship in East Hartford.
The Mauricio Pochettino team has now lost their last three games in all competitions, after disappointing defeats for Panama and Mexico in the Nations League.
The USMNT returns to action on Wednesday, when they are standing in another friendly friendship opposite Switzerland before they take on Trinidad and Tobago in their first match of the Gold Cup.
Prior to the kick-off, Pochettino was forced to make various changes to his starting line-up, with many of his regulars from the first team, including Christian Pulisic, absent.
Indeed, the USMNT mentioned eight MLS players in a starting XI for a match against UEFA opposition outside the camps of December and January for the first time since May 2003.
That initially did when the US was at the forefront with just 59 seconds on the clock through Jack McMlynn, who curled a stunning attempt in the left corner of the corner.
Turkiye should have been leveled in the 18th minute when the cutback of Kenan Yildiz found Arda Guler, but the Real Madrid man could only fire from the penalty area.
Guler, however, pulled his its his own level shortly after a fairly bizarre fashion, with Johnny Cardoso's attempt to approve the attacker and wriggled along Matt Freese.
And Turkiye ran three minutes later when the Oguz Aydin cross was blocked in the path of Kerem Akturkoglu, which fired a strike with the right foot.
2:22 – The goals of Türkiye 2 minutes, 22 seconds apart were the fastest that the #USMNT has given two goals since November 2018 vs. England (1:44). Flash. pic.twitter.com/lm44lxm9kc
– Optajack (@Optajack) 7 June 2025
The hosts improved after the break and had two glorious opportunities to get themselves level, with Max Arfsten getting closely wide from the inviting cross of Luca de la Torre.
Malik Tillman then saw his efforts collected by Berke Ozer after good work by replacement Tyler Adams, where the US grew in trust in search of an equalizer.
Turkiye almost hit them nine minutes after the time after Tillman lost cheap possession, but Baris Alper Yilmaz could only shoot wide at the end of a quick break.
Debrief data: Quickfire Turkiye Halt Snel Starting USA
The US made a dream start to the procedure on Saturday, with the aim of McMlynn after 59 seconds, the earliest they have ever scored against UEFA, but their struggles under Pochettino continued after Turkiye's Quickfire -Malkekeer.
The goals of the visitors were two minutes and 22 seconds apart, the fastest that the USMNT has admitted twice since November 2018 against England (one minute and 44 seconds).
But there were positives for Pochettino to take despite the defeat, where the US registered a expected goals (XG) a total of 1.08 of their 10 shots in the second half, compared to Turkiye's 0.21 of their two efforts after the break.