Mauricio Pochettino’s side defeated Australia 2–0 at Lumen Field in Seattle on Friday night, securing qualification for the Round of 32 with a game to spare. Two deflected goals, one composed performance, and a defence that simply refused to bend. The USMNT are through.
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A High Press Without Pulisic
Christian Pulisic was absent. Ruled out through injury, his name hung over the build-up to this match like a question nobody could quite answer. Could the USMNT cope without their most recognisable, most dangerous player?
The answer, from the first whistle, was emphatic. Pochettino set his side up in their familiar high-pressing shape, and the Socceroos simply had no answer to it. Australia, compact and organised, found themselves pinned back and rattled in equal measure. The time they needed to build out from the back never arrived.
Eleven minutes in, the pressure paid off.
Two Goals Before the Break
Folarin Balogun picked up the ball on the left channel and drove toward the byline with a conviction that left the Australian defence scrambling. His low cross was hard and purposeful — but it was Cameron Burgess, under pressure, who provided the decisive touch. The ball cannoned off the Australian defender and into his own net.
An own goal. Painful. A little unglamorous. But it counted all the same.
The second arrived just before the break. Sergiño Dest cut inside from the right and unleashed a fierce long-range effort. The shot deflected off Antonee Robinson and fell perfectly into the path of Alex Freeman, who reacted in a heartbeat to head it home. The assistant referee’s flag went up immediately — but VAR disagreed. A swift review cleared the striker, and the goal stood. 2–0 at half-time, and the tie was effectively settled.
The Socceroos Push, the USA Hold
The second half opened with the USA in the mood to bury the game entirely. Balogun — lively, physical, and dangerous all evening — found himself bearing down on goal early in the half. He should have scored. A heavy first touch, though, gifted Alessandro Circati the chance to make a vital recovery block. The opportunity evaporated.
Australia finally stirred after the 60th minute. Having beaten Türkiye on Matchday 1 to earn three points, they knew a second defeat here would make Matchday 3 a must-win. Their substitutes added urgency and their wingers pushed higher, probing for any gap in the American backline. There was none to find. Pochettino’s defenders held their shape, communicating constantly, conceding nothing. By the final whistle, the Socceroos had not seriously threatened.
Back-to-back wins. Back-to-back clean sheets. Mission accomplished.
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Group D After Matchday 2
The United States sit at the top of Group D with six points from six, the only team along with co-hosts Mexico to confirm their place in the knockout rounds at the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Their Matchday 3 fixture against Türkiye at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 26 (7:30 AM IST) is now a contest for group supremacy rather than survival.
Australia sit on three points — their Matchday 1 win over Türkiye is all that separates them from the bottom. They face Paraguay on June 26 at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area (7:30 AM IST), and nothing less than a win will do. Paraguay and Türkiye, who meet later today in their own Matchday 2 at Levi’s Stadium (8:30 AM IST), both have everything still to play for. The final day of Group D will be tense, dramatic, and absolutely decisive.
For the United States, the group stage is already settled. Pulisic or not — this team is built to go deep.
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