- Head-to-head: Turkey beat USA 2-1 in a friendly played a year ago.
- Turkey form: Turkey have won four of their last five matches in all competitions.
- USA form: USA have won two and lost three of their last five in all competitions.
High-stakes Group D clash awaits
Group situation:
Turkey sit third in Group D after one match, but USA are top of the standings with three points from their opening game. The USMNT came back from a 2-1 home defeat to Germany in a pre-World Cup friendly to beat Paraguay 4-1 in their Group D opener and will need another result to stay on top of the group.
Match context and expectations:
Turkey, who beat Venezuela 2-1 away from home in a recent friendly, have to go for it. It could be a big game for the emerging stars in each squad to raise their profile, so a high-intensity game should be expected at the Los Angeles Stadium.
Turkey's tactical setup:
Vincenzo Montella has made Turkey into a team that controls possession, overloading the center of the field and building from the back with a double pivot and a number 10 behind a lone striker. They are a tactical side, who will try to control the pace of the game and attack.
USMNT are attacking under Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino's USA are an entirely different animal, but a similar level of intensity is guaranteed. The former Chelsea boss has instilled a high-pressing, aggressive approach to the USMNT since he took charge in September 2024.
The USA like to press high, win the ball back and exploit the wide areas, often in transition, and it's no surprise to see them 2.5 favorites here while Turkey are 2.65 and the draw is at 3.65.
That is a wide spread for a three-point gap in the group and we think it's worth sticking with the USMNT to get the win on Friday given their convincing win in their first game and Folarin Balogun's hot streak.
The Arsenal striker scored two of USA's four goals against Paraguay and has three of the national team's last nine goals to his name.
Game of two similar styles
These two teams have contrasting identities, although Turkey are more of a controlled possession side and the States are full of energy and pressing. The contrast in approach should create some interesting tactical matchups and the outcome could be decided in transition with both teams looking to attack when they win the ball.
A draw seems a little high in this spot, but with both sides looking to push forward 'Both teams to score' at 1.64 looks like a good alternative to the moneyline markets.
- Turkey will have a different gameplan and will not have as much pressing intensity, but they do have some brilliant individual creativity in Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Arda Güler and young starlet Kenan Yıldız, who is a star in the making with pace and end product.
- He was in Turkey's 2-0 defeat to Australia in their Group D opener and they will need someone to make a difference here.
