Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson of the USA celebrate after Australia’s Cameron Burgess scores an own goal during their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match, June 19, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. Troy Wayrynen/Imagn Images via Reuters

Team USA cruised to a 2-0 victory over Australia on Friday afternoon in Seattle. Washington punched their ticket to the knockouts in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The team scored their victory without U.S. star player Christian Pulisic because of a calf injury and was replaced by Ricardo Pepi in the starting lineup.

For the second straight game, Team USA got on the board first when Australian Defender Cameron Burgess tried to stop a crossing pass by Folarin Balogun’s fine run and cross bounced off the foot of Burgess into the back of the net to give Team USA a 1-0 lead. Then, towards the end of the first half, Alex Freeman headed the ball in the back of the net that at first was ruled offside, but after further review, the referee reversed it, and Freeman and the goal stood, giving the USA a 2-0 lead. Australia had several chances during the second half, but the USA saw out the victory in comfortable fashion to reach the knockout rounds.

The victory for Team USA marked the first consecutive wins at a World Cup for the USMNT since 1930, and it marked the first time that the USMNT had advanced to the knockout stage with a match to spare.  After the team’s win on Friday, Pochettino reiterated that sentiment, adding,

“We hope that next game he will be available, but if we want to win the competition, we need the whole team, and all the players need to be important. But, of course, Christian is one of the best players in the world, and I hope that he can recover as soon as possible.”

Their next match will be on June 25th, and it’s quite possible the team could sit Pulisic so he can get ready for the knockout round of the World Cup.