USA fans advised to 'take a deep breath' after defeat against Türkiye
Brad Gazan gave reassurance to USMNT fans following their 3–2 loss against Türkiye, describing the team's overall performance as strong and emphasizing their preparations for the knockout stage against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The USA men's national team won Group D, but finished group play on a somewhat disappointing note. However, former USA goalkeeper Brad Gazan doesn't want fans to panic. After the USA lost 3-2 against Türkiye, Gazan is still optimistic about the stars and stripes as they prepare for the knockout match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Listen, I was just saying there's been a lot of talk about this US team over the last two games," Gazan said. "To our new USA fans. Everyone, calm down. Everyone, take a deep breath." With Gazan in mind, USA fielded mostly its backup players Thursday night. Nine of their starting eleven made their first starts at the 2026 World Cup, with Matt Turner replacing Matt Freese in the net. Additionally, the USA won in ball possession (52-48), shot more than Türkiye 18-9 and also held the lead in shots on target (7-3). Additionally, the USA took more touches in the opponent's box (37–24). Still, the loss exposed some of the USA's defensive weaknesses. FOX Sports' Morris Adu gave all four of the USA's starting defenders a rating of 5 or lower, as the team conceded two goals in the first half. But Thursday's loss changed nothing in the USA's path to the knockout stage. They still top Group D and have outscored their rivals by five goals in their first two matches. That's why Gazan told supporters to maintain the bigger picture of the tournament rather than panic over a single negative result, insisting that the team's internal confidence is completely intact as they prepare for their upcoming knockout opponent. "We're fine," Gazan said. "We're going into the round of 32. This result tonight changes nothing. We're still top of the group, we're still going into the knockout against Bosnia with confidence, with belief, get on it, stay on it, and take this thing to the final."---
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