The United States defeated Australia 2-0 on Thursday, June 19th, in Seattle. With the win, the U.S. now sits alone atop the Group D standings with six points and a +5 goal differential, and has secured its place in the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup.
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
In an unexpected turn, both the United States and Australia sit atop the Group D standings heading into Matchday 2, with the U.S. holding the edge on goal differential.
The United States enters tonight’s match riding the momentum of its most impressive World Cup performance to date, a 4-1 victory over Paraguay last Friday in Los Angeles. The four-goal outburst marked the most goals ever scored by the U.S. in a single World Cup match.
Australia, meanwhile, also comes in off a win. The Socceroos stunned Group D favorites Turkey 2-0 in Vancouver last Saturday, setting up an early showdown between two unbeaten sides at the top of the group.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The United States opened the match in a 3-5-2 formation, with manager Mauricio Pochettino opting to rest Christian Pulisic after the minor calf injury he suffered against Paraguay.
The change allowed Ricardo Pepi to join Folarin Balogun up top as a second striker.
Australia stuck with its traditional defensive 5-4-1 setup, but it didn’t take long for the Americans to break through.
In the 10th minute, Balogun made a dangerous run down the left flank and fired a ball into the box that deflected off Cameron Burgess and into the net, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
It marked the second straight match in which the Americans opened the scoring via an own goal.
The U.S. doubled its advantage just before halftime. On a free kick from just outside the box, Sergiño Dest’s effort was redirected to Alex Freeman, who headed the ball past goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
The goal was initially ruled offside, but after a lengthy VAR review, officials reversed their decision. The goal would stand, sending the US into the break with a 2-0 lead.
The second half was a different story. The United States came out flat, with its passing less sharp and its attack lacking the urgency it showed in the opening 45 minutes.
Australia responded by turning up the pressure and forcing Matt Freese and the US defense to play their most contested half so far this tournament.
The match also became increasingly physical, with both teams picking up yellow cards as tempers flared. At times, the contest looked more like a rugby match than a soccer game.
Despite the pressure, the United States did enough to see out the result, holding off the Socceroos for a 2-0 victory and three more valuable points in Group D.
BIG NUMBER: 2
Not only did the United States earn a 2-0 victory, but it also secured its second straight win in group play. It marks the first time since the inaugural 1930 World Cup that the U.S. has won consecutive matches and the first time since 1930 that it has won multiple group-stage games in a single tournament.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Alex Freeman
PPlaying on the right side of a back three, Alex Freeman made his presence felt all over the pitch. Defensively, he came up with several key plays that helped keep Australia off the scoresheet. Going forward, his awareness and positioning paid off as well, as he found himself in the right place at the right time to head home a crucial insurance goal for the United States.
UP NEXT: The United States will wrap up Group D play on Thursday, June 25th, in Los Angeles against Turkey at 9:00 PM at So-Fi Stadium.