Zendejas Debuts as Pepi Plays Full Match in U.S. 3-2 Loss to Türkiye

Deliberate rotation handed two El Paso natives World Cup minutes, leaving the U.S. group position intact.

Overview

Türkiye scored a stoppage-time winner to beat the United States 3-2 in the final Group D game, a goal that decided the match but did not change group standings.
Alex Zendejas made his World Cup debut as a substitute in the 76th/77th minute, marking his first appearance on soccer’s biggest stage.
Ricardo Pepi started and played the entire match, logging a full game as he continued to receive opportunities after earlier appearances in the tournament.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino rotated the lineup because the U.S. had already clinched first place in Group D, using the match to rest regular starters and test squad depth.
The U.S. advances to the round of 32 and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, with the match serving as the next test of the players who earned minutes in Los Angeles.