The USA are hoping to rebound from a disappointing Nations League campaign, while Turkey arrive on the back of a strong UEFA Nations League promotion run and high spirits.
USA: Form Worries Under Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino’s spell in charge of the US Men’s National Team is off to a bumpy start. After falling 2-1 to Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place playoff, the Americans have now lost two in a row — and could be facing a third straight defeat for the second time in under a year.
With the 2026 World Cup drawing closer, time is running out for Pochettino to build a cohesive and confident squad.
Turkey: High Spirits and Sharp Form
Turkey are coming into this friendly in great form. Their 6-1 aggregate victory over Hungary in the UEFA Nations League playoff earlier this year sealed promotion to League A and reinforced their growing momentum.
Now, they’re aiming to qualify for their first World Cup since 2002 — and they appear to be on track. The Crescent Stars have lost just once in their last eight games across all competitions, netting 16 goals in that stretch.
They’ll be chasing consecutive away wins for the first time since June 2024, and recent patterns suggest they thrive when starting strong: they’ve won their last four matches when scoring first, with 10 goals scored in those wins.
However, their only win over a CONCACAF side this century came back in 2003, when they defeated the US 2-1 in the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Team News and Lineups
Pochettino has brought in several uncapped players, such as Quinn Sullivan, Damion Downs, and Matt Freese, while Patrick Agyemang — who scored in the loss to Canada — will be playing in front of his hometown crowd in East Hartford.
In their last outing, Calhanoglu, Abdulkerim Bardakci, and Arda Guler all scored, with Ugurcan Cakir keeping a clean sheet.
Predicted Lineups
USA:
Turner; Dest, Richards, Ream, Arfsten; Adams, de la Torre; Cardoso, Wright, Aaronson; Agyemang
Turkey:
Cakir; Muldur, Akaydin, Soyuncu, Eskihellac; Calhanoglu, Ozcan; Yilmaz, Guler, Tiknaz; Yildiz
Form Guide
The United States are going through a rough patch, having lost their last two matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place playoff. Before that, they had strung together four consecutive wins, showing promise against teams like Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. However, inconsistency and recent struggles under new manager Mauricio Pochettino have raised concerns as they gear up for World Cup preparations.
Turkey, on the other hand, come into this friendly in solid form, winning four of their last six matches in all competitions. Their recent successes include a dominant 6-1 aggregate win over Hungary to secure promotion in the UEFA Nations League. Although they’ve had a few hiccups in friendly matches, their competitive form suggests a team building strong momentum ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
Key Stat
The United States have won every match in which they’ve scored more than one goal since 2018. Turkey, on the other hand, are undefeated in their last four matches when scoring first — with 10 goals in those games.
Kickoff
Saturday, June 7, 2025 | 8:30 PM ET | Rentschler Field, Hartford, CT
We Say: USA 1–2 Turkey
The USMNT are struggling to find rhythm even with their top stars — and with several of them missing, this match could tilt in Turkey’s favor. With better continuity and attacking variety, Vincenzo Montella’s side may have just enough to edge this one on American soil.