FIFA World Cup 2026: Freeman puts impressive USA into knockouts

The USA bandwagon is gathering impressive pace after the FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosts comfortably defeated Australia to move into the Round of 32 with a game to spare. They are guaranteed a place as one of the best third-placed teams with this victory.

USA had not won back-to-back games at a World Cup since the start of the inaugural edition in 1930. Mauricio Pochettino’s team have now put that right- and did so in highly exciting, high-energy fashion.

What was all the more impressive about the result was that it came without star player Christian Pulisic, who was ruled out with a calf injury.

They were as bright as the Seattle sunshine as they pressed high up the pitch and overwhelmed Tony Popovic’s Socceroos. USA took the lead for the second game running through an own goal.

Folarin Balogun was the creator with an electric surge into the box from the left side and his low cross was turned into his own net by Cameron Burgess.

The Stars and Stripes got their second goal just before the interval when a deflection sent Sergino Dest’s shot from the edge of the box looping towards goal.

As the ball dropped in the six-yard box, Alex Freeman, the son of a Super Bowl hero, got his head there ahead of goalkeeper Patrick Beach to nod in.

Balogun might have added a third goal but Alessandro Circati made a vital block. Yet for the irrepressible co-hosts, those two first-half goals were more than enough as they secured a first clean sheet in ten matches. (FIFA)

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