The United States secured their place in the round of 32 with a game to spare after a composed 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle on 20 June, proving they can cope without injured captain Christian Pulisic while announcing Alex Freeman to a wider audience in the process.
In front of 66,925 fans at Lumen Field, coach Mauricio Pochettino sprang a surprise by deploying Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi as a two-striker partnership for the first time in his tenure. The gamble paid off handsomely. Balogun, the star of a 4-1 opening win over Paraguay, tore down the left flank in the 11th minute and his cross was turned into his own net by Australian defender Cameron Burgess. Freeman then headed home a second before half-time after a VAR review confirmed the goal, having bravely returned to action just minutes after a clash of heads with an opposing player.
The clean sheet was the USA’s first in 10 matches, and the victory marked the first time they had won back-to-back World Cup games since their opening two fixtures at the 1930 tournament.
Pulisic, who has been managing a calf injury, watched from the bench as his teammates demonstrated the squad’s depth. Balogun and Pepi had shared only 187 minutes on the pitch together for the national team prior to Friday but had combined for five goals in that time. By half-time that figure had grown to seven goals in 232 minutes together.
Freeman, 21, has had a remarkable rise over the past 18 months. He made his first MLS start with Orlando City only in February 2025, before earning a mid-season move to Villarreal and then cementing his place under Pochettino. His World Cup goal, a courageous header from close range, was further proof that his name no longer needs any qualifier.
The result could prove even more significant by the end of the weekend. If Paraguay avoid defeat against Turkey on Friday night, the USA would claim top spot in Group D. That outcome would allow Pochettino to rest several players carrying yellow cards, including Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Balogun and Chris Richards, who would all face suspension for the round of 32 if booked again. Pulisic could also be preserved for the knockout stage.
Even if Turkey beat Paraguay, the USA would need only a draw against Turkey on 25 June at SoFi Stadium to win the group. A first-place finish would send them to Santa Clara on 1 July to face a third-place qualifier, most likely from Group B.
