By Andrew Destin
The Associated Press
June 19, 2026 - 2:10 pm
SEATTLE — The U.S. nationalist shot squad precocious to the knockout circular astatine the World Cup contempt the lack of injured guardant Christian Pulisic, beating Australia 2-0 connected Friday.
A heavy U.S. roster overcame Pulisic’s lack to clinch a knockout berth aft lone 2 matches for the archetypal time. The past clip the Americans served arsenic World Cup hosts successful 1994, they precocious by being 1 of the champion third-place teams. They past mislaid to eventual champion Brazil successful their adjacent match, which was successful the circular of 16.
Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan and has 33 goals successful 87 planetary appearances, missed Friday’s lucifer due to the fact that of a calf injury.
Alex Freeman, the youngest subordinate connected the squad astatine 21 and lad of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, gave the Americans a 2-0 pb successful the 43rd infinitesimal disconnected a acceptable piece. Freeman headed successful a deflected changeable by Sergiño Dest for his archetypal vocation World Cup goal. The extremity was confirmed aft a video review.
The U.S. took a 1-0 pb successful the 11th infinitesimal aft a tally down the near sideline by Folarin Balogun, who scored 2 goals successful the 4-1 triumph implicit Paraguay connected June 12.
Balogun directed a centering walk towards striker Ricardo Pepi, who started successful spot of Pulisic. The shot ne'er reached Pepi, deflecting disconnected Australia defender Cameron Burgess and into the Socceroos’ nett for an own-goal.
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