In a pair of contrasting Group D encounters, the United States suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat to Turkey in a dramatic, action-packed dead-rubber clash, while Australia secured their place in the World Cup knockout rounds with a gritty 0-0 draw against Paraguay.

Despite the late stumble, US head coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted the loss would not derail the tournament co-hosts' momentum.

Having already clinched the top spot in Group D, the US entered the match in Los Angeles looking to extend their winning streak, but with a clear focus on rotating the squad ahead of next Wednesday's last-32 meeting with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Pochettino made nine changes to his lineup, later explaining, "We had other priorities. We did want to win, we wanted the victory, but there were other things that we need to balance out, and I made the very best decisions."

Defending the rotation, he added, "What does it mean to win three (group) matches if you're going to be losing the next one, and you're not going to be winning the World Cup?"

The US began with a dream start when backup center-half Auston Trusty scored an unmarked header from a corner in under three minutes—the second-fastest US goal in World Cup history.

Turkey, however, sought to restore pride after being eliminated following consecutive losses.

Their star man, Real Madrid forward Arda Guler, equalized in the 10th minute after a clever dummy and a cross from Baris Alper Yilmaz.

In the 31st minute, Turkey took the lead when Yilmaz steered the ball home following a cutback from Eren Elmali.

The US fought back early in the second half, with Sebastian Berhalter smashing a low shot into the bottom corner in the 49th minute.

The match saw the return of US star Christian Pulisic, who had not played since an injury two weeks ago, and he immediately injected energy, though Turkey ultimately clinched the victory in stoppage time when Kaan Ayhan slammed home a close-range winner.

Pochettino remained unfazed by the result, stating, "If we (had won) the game, is it going to change my mood, my momentum? No. Winning this game, or not winning this game, it's not going to change."

Meanwhile, in Santa Clara, Australia successfully qualified for the last 32 after battling to a 0-0 draw with Paraguay at Levi's Stadium.

The Socceroos, who entered the match with a win over Turkey and a loss to the United States, faced a determined Paraguay side but remained defensively resolute throughout the contest.

By securing the point, Australia claimed second place in Group D, ensuring their progression in the tournament and moving on to the knockout stages alongside the group-winning United States.

Paraguay’s draw, while not enough to leapfrog Australia, left them in a competitive position as the final standings for the group were confirmed.

Source: AFP