EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — A U.S. men’s soccer team full of young prospects from unheralded teams looked across rain-soaked Rentschler Field at a Turkey squad with stars from Real Madrid, Juventus, Benfica and more.

And for the most part, the Americans gave as good as they got.

The final score was a 2-1 loss, and it was deserved for the defensive lapses on Turkey’s goals. But for much of the game, the U.S. played with the spirit and cohesion that had been missing recently — and there was some good soccer, too.

Former Union midfielder Jack McGlynn scored the opening goal just 59 seconds after kickoff. But those lapses gave Turkey goals in quick succession, scored by Arda Güler in the 24th and Kerem Aktürkoğlu in the 27th.

Both finishes went past former Union goalkeeper Matt Freese, who was surprisingly given the start over usual No. 1 Matt Turner. It was the first senior national team game for the Wayne, Pa., native, who grew up in the Union’s youth academy, went to Harvard for two years, then left to come home and turn pro.

McGlynn’s opener was the kind Union fans have seen him score often, for their team and his current one in Houston: a long-range blast after running into space. But the way he did it was one Union fans perhaps haven’t seen often.

Instead of playing on the left or in a deep central role, McGlynn started Saturday as the wide right midfielder in a 4-2-3-1. With midfielder Johnny Cardoso of Spain’s Real Betis and right back Alex Freeman of Orlando City in spots behind him, McGlynn had cover behind him to take space in between Turkey’s defenders.

Just 53 seconds had elapsed when Malik Tillman slid a pass out of central midfield to McGlynn on the right. Turkey’s defense retreated instead of pressing, and McGlynn took the invitation to continue, cut behind Evren Eren Elmalı, and fired from 21 yards to the far corner pocket.

Eight minutes later, Cardoso sprung McGlynn past Turkey’s high-pressing back line with a great pass. As McGlynn raced ahead, striker Patrick Agyemang burst up the middle to get ready to receive a pass. But instead of hitting a right-footed cross — which would have been with his weaker foot — McGlynn chose instead to cut in and shoot, and sent it way over.

The U.S. was playing with confidence, but perhaps a little too much confidence at its defensive end. Both of Turkey’s goals came from the U.S. taking too long to play the ball out of the back.

On the first, Cardoso took three big steps to his left before trying to play a pass that Güler easily blocked, and that alone sent the ball bouncing past Freese.

On the second, Güler played creator with some fancy footwork, Chris Richards and Miles Robinson failed to block a low cross, and Robinson didn’t clear the ball that Oğuz Aydın sent back in. Aktürkoğlu, of Portugal’s Benfica, pounced right away.

All things considered, the U.S. actually played quite well in the first half. But those two moments left the scoreboard against them, and that overshadowed everything else.

U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino subbed off both guilty players at halftime: Cardoso for Tyler Adams, and Robinson for former Union centerback Mark McKenzie.

In the 65th, he made a triple-swap that brought even more Union influence: Quinn Sullivan for McGlynn, Nathan Harriel for left back Max Arfsten and Haji Wright for wide midfielder Diego Luna. That gave Sullivan and Harriel their senior U.S. team debuts.

Sullivan was involved quickly, receiving a hopeful cross from Wright in the 70th. He was in a decent spot atop the 18-yard box, but alas, after a quick turn he scuffed his shot wide.

Former Union academy prospect Brian White was the last U.S. substitute, replacing Agyemang in the 75th. His entry meant that six of the eight players with Union ties on this U.S. squad played in the game. (The two who didn’t were Brenden and Paxten Aaronson.)

Beyond the defensive lapses, perhaps the U.S. team’s biggest flaw was that its attack was too slow to react when opportunities arose. The Americans outshot Turkey 13-11, but some of those chances came after better looks were passed up.

The U.S.’ next game is against Switzerland in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday (8 p.m., TNT, Peacock). Their Concacaf Gold Cup opener is June 15 against Trinidad & Tobago in San Jose, Calif, (6 p.m., Fox, Univision).

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