Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the international friendlies match.
Early results under Mauricio Pochettino have left the USA in a challenging position. With just a year remaining before they host FIFA World Cup 2026, the squad is in need of a confidence boost. They go into this friendly against Turkey as favourites, but Turkey have shown consistent form since last autumn.
USA
Free from the pressures of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification, the USA appear to have lost their rhythm. In March, they suffered back-to-back defeats in the CONCACAF Nations League play-offs – 0:1 against Panama and 1:2 against Canada – managing just 1.59 xG across both matches. The upcoming friendlies are likely to be used for further experimentation: Patrick Agyemang of Charlotte FC has been given a starting role up front, while at the back, only Joe Scally of Borussia Mönchengladbach has made a notable impression.
Turkey
Since the group stage of the Nations League began in September, Turkey have lost just once in eight outings. Though they fell short of direct promotion to the top tier, they routed Hungary in the play-offs with a 6:1 aggregate score. Against the USA, Turkey produced only seven shots on target, yet their counter-attacking play effectively highlighted the qualities of Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız.
USA vs Turkey Prediction
Turkey can call on a number of players capable of making a real impact, while the USA are largely reliant on Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah – all of whom had disappointing seasons in Serie A. Backing the more dependable European team with a handicap advantage seems the prudent choice here.
