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Sam Borden
Multiple Authors
SEATTLE — No Christian Pulisic? No issue.
The United States men’s national soccer team, playing without its key injured forward, continued its impressive performance in this World Cup, securing a 2-0 victory over Australia on Friday, thus advancing to the knockout stages with one group match left.
While the U.S. hasn’t clinched Group D just yet, this win marks the first time since 1930 that the American men have achieved back-to-back World Cup victories. They now need just a draw in Thursday’s match against Türkiye to secure the top spot in Group D, setting them up for a favorable round-of-32 match against a third-place team.
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Will Pulisic be available for the match against Türkiye? That remains uncertain, although the team reports improvement in his left calf injury, which led to his substitution at halftime in the opening match.
“Christian is a crucial player for us, but it was impossible for him to play today,” coach Mauricio Pochettino told Fox after Friday’s victory. “We hope he will be ready for the next game, but if we intend to win the competition, the entire team needs to contribute.
“Naturally, Christian is one of the world’s top players, and we hope for his quick recovery.”
Friday’s match followed a familiar pattern: much like their previous encounter with Paraguay, the Americans capitalized on an early own goal from Australia to take the lead within 11 minutes and added to their advantage late in the first half.
This time, it was Alex Freeman, the son of former NFL wide receiver Antonio, who quickly tapped in a header after Sergiño Dest‘s long-range shot deflected high in front of the box. Freeman, barely onside, celebrated his first World Cup goal after a tense VAR review.
“It was another fantastic game, especially in the first half,” Pochettino commented. “I believe we dominated the match against a very formidable opponent.”
The atmosphere at Lumen Field was electric throughout the game, as the city had been alive with excitement for hours leading up to the noon kickoff. Hosting the men’s national team for the first time in a decade sparked energetic “U-S-A” chants that echoed for blocks before the teams even arrived.
Inside, the lively crowd of 66,925, predominantly American fans, erupted when Folarin Balogun raced down the left flank to deliver a perfect cross that Cameron Burgess inadvertently turned into his own goal, igniting a wave of celebration.
Though the U.S. didn’t exhibit the same free-flowing creativity they displayed against Paraguay, there was still plenty of style on display.
Balogun, who netted twice in the earlier 4-1 victory over Paraguay, remained a key attacking threat, while Dest played with notable intensity. The American midfield showcased energy, with Tyler Adams providing solid support behind Weston McKennie‘s dribbles, and Malik Tillman finding good connections. Defensively, Chris Richards and Freeman held strong.
This performance was a comprehensive display from a squad missing its most recognized player, reinforcing belief among the U.S. team and supporters that a historic run in the tournament remains possible, regardless of Pulisic’s condition.
That said, everyone on the U.S. side is eager for his return. U.S. Soccer initially described Pulisic’s injury, sustained two days before the Paraguay match and worsened that evening, as just a “knock.” The expectation was for him to increase his activity leading up to the Australia game.
However, Pulisic was unable to train with the team all week. On Friday morning, just a few hours before the match, he did some training but was not considered fit to play; he watched the match in street clothes.
Pochettino’s choice to play Ricardo Pepi instead of a direct substitute like Brenden Aaronson was unexpected. Nonetheless, the U.S. carried on seamlessly.
Pepi, making his first World Cup start, may not have dazzled but played a key role in helping the U.S. maintain pressure. In a game that was much more physical than the previous outing against Paraguay, the Americans showcased enough quality to secure the necessary result.
After the U.S. secured their spot in the knockout stage with a match to spare for the first time, Pochettino, who has faced criticism amid inconsistent results during his almost two-year tenure, took pleasure in the cheers from American fans chanting his name.
“I mentioned yesterday that Argentina has fantastic supporters, but I believe we’re close to matching them,” he remarked. “I’m so happy for our fans.”