SEATTLE — The U.S. men’s national soccer team rolled into the World Cup knockout rounds with a 2-0 win over Australia on Friday.

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In front of a raucous, star-spangled crowd here at Lumen Field, even without their best player, Christian Pulisic (calf), the Americans raced past a tough Australia side and sealed a spot in the round of 32 with one group match to spare.

Folarin Balogun, the star of a 4-1 win over Paraguay in last week’s opener, created the first goal with a blinding run down the left — the second time the U.S. benefitted from an own goal in this competition. Alex Freeman, the team’s youngest player at age 21, headed in the second and took his breakout stardom to a new level. And on the other end, the defense held firm despite some nervy and sloppy moments in the face of Australia’s desperation, posting the team’s first clean sheet in 10 matches.

Nearly every U.S. player who touched the field played with confidence, fluidity and verve, and further fueled dreams that a historic World Cup run could be possible.

Our writers on the scene break down the U.S.’s latest successful World Cup result:

How they did it
without Pulisic

So much of the buildup to Friday’s match focused on Pulisic. On Thursday, reporters pulled out binoculars to scrutinize his movements at training. On Friday, America salivated for news on the U.S. star and his lower left-leg injury. As word spread that he’d be unavailable, fans in the concourse here at Lumen Field expressed worry. “Gosh,” one said. “That changes a lot.”

But 10 minutes into the match, with all of Lumen Field standing and roaring, all concern was forgotten.

Pochettino had no shortage of options to replace Pulisic. He could have opted for an outright winger, like Tim Weah or Alejandro Zendejas, or an energetic attacker like Brenden Aaronson. He could’ve leaned on the confidence that Gio Reyna must have had after his goal against Paraguay. He might even have turned to an additional central midfielder.

Instead, Pochettino surprised everyone and went with a two-striker starting lineup, featuring both Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, for the first time in his tenure as U.S. coach.

Pepi and Balogun had spent limited time together as a duo. Per Opta, they’d played 187 minutes together for the national team before this match. But in those 187 minutes the team scored five goals.

The effectiveness continued against Australia. Pepi’s work rate helped to occupy the Australian centerbacks, and Balogun — a winger in his youth — used his pace to create the first U.S. goal. He detected space behind Australia’s defense down the left, and hardly broke stride as he carried the ball into the box. His cross was bundled into the net by Australian defender Cameron Burgess.

By halftime, the Pepi-Balogun combination increased their total to seven goals in 232 minutes as the U.S. strutted into the break with a 2-0 lead it would not relinquish.

Freeman makes
his own name

It has been quite the 18 months for Freeman, who scored his first World Cup goal on Friday. His rise has been meteoric within the program.

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Always viewed as a talented player with potential, Freeman struggled to get a chance with Orlando City. He didn’t make his first MLS start until February of 2025, but once he got it, he hasn’t looked back. Within 12 months he became an established regular under Pochettino with the national team and earned a transfer to Champions League side Villarreal. He took a risk by joining the club midseason, and after a fallow period, he ended the season in top form to validate his move.

That rise continued with his second World Cup start and first goal. The goal, a header from close range that was given following video review, showed his bravery. It wasn’t more than 10 minutes prior when Freeman suffered a clash of heads with an Australian player going for an aerial duel and he had to be checked out by doctors to remain in the game.

When Sergiño Dest’s shot was deflected into the air, Freeman chased it down and stuck his face directly back into the danger, getting his head to the ball before goalkeeper Patrick Beach could get his hand to the ball in time.

He’s known as former NFL star Antonio Freeman’s son. He’s known as “Diamond’s Little Brother.” After Friday, Alex Freeman’s name needs no qualifier to an even greater audience.

Party like it’s 1930

The win over Australia marked the first time the USMNT won back-to-back World Cup games since its first two World Cup games in 1930. It was also the first time since 1930 that the U.S. won two group games in a World Cup.

The Seattle crowd provided a perfect setting for the moment. One of the most authentic and important soccer markets in the U.S., the men’s national team has never lost in the Emerald City — the site of its last knockout victory in an intercontinental competition (2016 Copa América Centenario vs. Ecuador). A crowd of 66,925 had some pockets of Australian green and gold, but it was an emphatically pro-U.S. crowd. The fans pushed the U.S. forward multiple times during the game, starting U-S-A chants or singing to urge the team onward. It was a festive setting for a historic occasion.

A ground-covering, destroying midfielder and the first name on the USMNT’s team sheet.

How important
is this result?

With the win, the U.S. clinched a spot in the round of 32. And by the end of the night, it could clinch the top spot in Group D.

If Paraguay beats or draws Turkey in the group’s other Friday match (11 p.m. ET), thanks to FIFA’s new tiebreaker rules, the U.S. would win the group. And perhaps most importantly, it would go into next Thursday’s group finale against Turkey knowing that it can rest players — including Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Folarin Balogun and Chris Richards, who’ve all picked up yellow cards and would be suspended for the round of 32 if they collect another. Pulisic could also, in theory, be rested for another match and preserved for the knockout stage if he’s not operating at full capacity by June 25.

Even if Turkey beats Paraguay on Friday night, though, the U.S. would need only a draw against Turkey next Thursday at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles to win the group.

If they do finish first, the Americans would go to Santa Clara, Calif., for their first knockout match on July 1 against a third-place team — most likely the winner of the Bosnia-Qatar match in Group B.

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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.