USA seals Round of 16 with 2-0 win over Australia, a historic two-game knockout path
The USMNT beat Australia 2-0 in Seattle to advance to the 2026 World Cup knockout stage, achieving the Round of 16 in just two group matches for the first time since 1930. With Christian Pulisic out injured, Ricardo Pepi started and Folarin Balogun’s run led to Cameron Burgess’s own goal for the opener, followed by Alex Freeman’s second via a deflected set-piece. The US dominated the first half (about 70% possession) and kept a clean sheet, with Weston McKennie delivering a standout all-around performance as the team rides the momentum into the knockout rounds.
