USMNT advances to World Cup knockout rounds with 2-0 win vs. Australia
A 2-0 home win. A rare clean sheet. A spot in the Round of 32. All without Christian Pulisic.
It was a good day’s work for Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men’s national team at the World Cup following a 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle on Friday.
The USMNT are now into the knockout rounds for the first time with one more group game to go. But the group-winner tag is still up for grabs, as Turkiye will need to either lose or draw to Paraguay later in the day.
With Pulisic out, Pochettino turned to backup striker Ricardo Pepi to join the same lineup that started in the 4-1 win vs. Paraguay.
The playmaking without Pulisic wasn’t the same, but the U.S. opened the scoring early just like it did vs. Paraguay — via an own goal. Folarin Balogun sped down the left flank and put in a low cross that was turned in by defender Cameron Burgess in the 11th minute.
The U.S. opened up from there and dominated possession until halftime, controlling the ball with a 70% rate.
Despite the 1-0 lead, the U.S. did not have a shot on target until the 43rd minute — when Alex Freeman scored the second goal.
On a free kick routine from the right flank, the ball went just outside the center of the box to Sergino Dest. Dest let a shot rip, which was deflected high up in the air. Freeman, 21, showed his breakout status by rising over goalie Patrick Beach and heading home.
The goal was initially chalked off due to offside, but VAR overruled the decision after a few minutes.
Australia offered very little in attack in the first half, not giving striker Mohamed Toure enough support despite his speed down the channels.
2026 FIFA World Cup
A triple change to start the second half helped swing the momentum, especially by bringing on rising youngster Nestory Irankunda.
Irankunda gave the USMNT’s backline trouble due to his combination of speed, IQ and strength despite his short stature. But Tim Ream and Chris Richards managed by helping maintain a clean sheet, the first time the U.S. did so in 10 games.
The U.S. didn’t have much of the ball or many shots in the second half as the possession numbers slightly tilted toward Australia, but the Socceroos just didn’t offer enough threat against Matt Freese to deserve any points from the affair.
Australia mustered just 0.44 expected goals, per data-tracking platform FotMob. The U.S. posted 1.3 to claim all three points.
The U.S. will close out the group next Thursday in Los Angeles vs. Turkiye, a nation that has a dark horse status but failed to show it in a 2-0 loss to Australia to open the tournament.
But with star youngsters in Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz in the same, a turnaround shouldn’t be ruled out. Pulisic’s recovery will also be an important headline to monitor.
Australia will take on Paraguay with both team’s knockout chances still alive. The U.S. will hope Paraguay can take points off Turkiye to go into the final round as group winners, slightly easing the pressure.
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