There’s no denying that Turkey have endured a hugely disappointing World Cup campaign, but I think they can salvage a bit of pride by avoiding defeat against the USA in their final group game.

Vincenzo Montella will be demanding a response and performance from his players before they head home. Coming up against what is likely to be an understrength USA side represents a good opportunity to do so.

Moreover, Turkey were in good shape coming into the World Cup, having lost just one of their 10 matches ahead of the tournament. Notably, their only defeat during that period came at home against Spain. However, the Crescent Stars did earn a credible 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture.

It should also be noted that Turkey beat the USA in a friendly fixture last June.

As mentioned, USA boss Mauricio Pochettino is highly likely to make changes for this game, with the likes of Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Folarin Balogun and Tyler Adams all expected to drop out of the side to avoid the risk of suspension. Key forward Christian Pulisic could also be rested, all of which strengthens the case for keeping Turkey onside.

Given both nations can approach their final Group D assignment with a relaxed attitude, I’m keen to back both teams to score.

The USA did manage a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Australia, but before that, BTTS had been a recurring theme in their fixtures. Indeed, seven of the Stars and Stripes’ eight friendly matches leading into the World Cup saw both sides find the net. That trend also carried into their opening game against Paraguay, a 4-1 victory.

Turkey, meanwhile, have failed to score in each of their opening two matches, but they may find goalscoring opportunities easier to come by against the USA, who are unlikely to sit deep and adopt the same cautious approach shown by both Australia and Paraguay against the Crescent Stars.

It is also worth noting that both teams scored in four of Turkey’s six World Cup qualifiers during the group stage of their campaign. The same was true of their final warm-up fixture before the tournament, a 2-1 win over Venezuela.

I’m also turning towards Hakan Calhanoglu in the shots market, with 2+ attempts the selection.

One notable takeaway from Turkey’s two matches at this year’s World Cup is the number of shots their captain has been firing away. In fact, Calhanoglu attempted five shots against Australia before going one better with six against Paraguay last time out.

He was also reliable on the shots front during World Cup qualification, pulling the trigger at least twice in four of his seven outings, including a home game against Spain. Calhanoglu's numbers at club level tell a similar story from last season, as he averaged 2.73 efforts per 90 for Inter Milan in Serie A.

Another reason I’m keen to side with this selection is that the Turkey playmaker is typically on penalty duty and is a set-piece specialist, which only adds to the appeal for him to register two or more shots in this contest.

I’m keen to back Hakan Calhanoglu to commit at least one foul during this contest. The Turkish captain is unlikely to let standards slip within the Turkey camp as they look to save a bit of face by putting in a performance against the USA.

Moreover, Calhanoglu is a player who consistently catches the referee's attention. Across Turkey's opening two Group D assignments, Calhanoglu committed a foul in each of those contests, while he averaged 0.97 fouls per game during the World Cup qualifying campaign, picking up two yellow cards in the process.

His domestic numbers last season only add further weight to the case, as he averaged 1.53 fouls per game in Serie A, with his Champions League figure standing at 1.07 per game. Calhanoglu is likely to be operating in similar areas of the pitch to Sebastian Berhalter.

The USA midfielder was fouled when coming off the bench against Paraguay on matchday one, and was fouled five times across his five appearances prior to that.