USA vs Turkey
USA will host Turkey in an International Friendly at Rentschler Field this Sunday to help them prepare for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup. On the other hand, Turkey will use this match to gear up for their second half of the group stage campaign in the World Cup 2026 European qualifiers.
The Stars and Stripes failed to secure a medal in the CONCACAF Nations League last March after losing to Panama (1-0) in the semifinals and Canada (2-1) in the bronze medal game. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino will attempt to guide his men back to winning ways. However, he won’t have a full squad this weekend.
Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella also doesn’t have his best squad this international break. However, he’ll use this time to integrate new players while allowing some of his veterans to hit personal milestones.
This may be a non-bearing game, but the SBOTOP International Friendly 2025 odds expect a close fight.
Talking Points
USA to miss a host of key players
Mauricio Pochettino is off to a lackluster start as manager of the USA national team, and he has just over a year to prepare the team for the World Cup, where they’ll be one of the hosts. The former Tottenham and Chelsea head coach has lost his last two matches at the helm, and the Stars and Stripes are in danger of losing three in a row for the second time in less than a year.
It doesn’t help Pochettino that he will miss a host of key players this international break. Sergino Dest (knee), Folarin Balogun (ankle), Antonee Robinson (knee), and Patrick Schulte (oblique) are all on the sidelines. Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah withdrew from the squad, citing the need to recharge their batteries after a long 2024-25 campaign with AC Milan. Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Gio Reyna were not allowed to participate by FIFA because their clubs are in the upcoming Club World Cup.
Matt Turner, Tim Ream, Walker Zimmerman, Brenden Aaronson, Miles Robinson, Chris Richards, and Tyler Adams are the team’s mainstays. Meanwhile, Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Alex Freeman, Nathan Harriel, Sebastian Berhalter, Quinn Sullivan, and Damion Downs could make their national team debuts this weekend.
Patrick Agyemang will be one of the top players to watch this Saturday, as he intends to make the most of his opportunity in the starting XI. The Charlotte FC forward scored the team’s last international goal during the CONCACAF Nations League bronze medal game last March. He will likely join Haji Wright and Brenden Aaronson in the final third. Midfielders Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre, and Malik Tillman should also get their chances to create new International Friendly 2025 highlights.
Turkey in solid recent form
Turkey are promoted to League A of the UEFA Nations League after a dominant showing in League B. The Crescent Stars finished second in Group B4 behind Wales and walloped Hungary in the two-legged promotion play-offs last March. Overall, Vincenzo Montella’s men have only lost one of their last eight matches across all competitions, scoring 16 goals in that span.
Montella has also called up six uncapped players this international break: Mustafa Erhan Hekimoglu, Demir Ege Tiknaz, Mustafa Eskihellac, Yasin Ozcan, Berke Ozer, and Muhammed Sengezer. Team captain Hakan Calhanoglu is three caps shy of 100, while he and Cenk Tosun are a goal away from tying Tuncay Sanli for third place in the all-time scoring list.
History
Saturday marks the fifth-ever competitive meeting between the USA and Turkey. The Stars and Stripes have two consecutive 2-1 wins over the Crescent Stars in their most recent exhibition games in May 2010 and June 2014. Before this, these two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 friendly draw in September 1991, and Turkey won 2-1 against USA in Group B of the now-defunct FIFA Confederations Cup last 2003.
USA were in the 2022 World Cup, where they finished second in Group B to advance to the knockout stage. The Stars and Stripes, formerly coached by Gregg Berhalter, lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
In the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the USA have been one of the most dominant teams in the tournament with seven titles. However, they only made it to the semifinals in the 2023 edition, failing to reach the podium for the first time in that competition.
On the other hand, Turkey’s World Cup appearances have only come few and far between. They last competed in 2002, when they earned the bronze medal, and they’re hoping to qualify again after the sixth time.
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