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USMNT analysis

Analysis: USMNT defeats Australia 2-0, wins Group D, begins knockout prep

ASN is at the World Cup and here to break down the USMNT's win over Australia to clinch Group D and continue its best start in its modern history of the World Cup
BY Paul Stephens Posted
June 19, 2026
9:05 PM

THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL team is through to the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup after a 2-0 win over Australia on Friday in Seattle. Just prior to the lineup announcements, Mauricio Pochettino announced that Christian Pulisic would not be available the game due to the calf injury he sustained in the opener. But the U.S. took advantage of another strong start, via a forced own goal, and then scored shortly before halftime via Alex Freeman. After a goal-less second half, the U.S. walked away with a 2-0 win

Here are thoughts on it all.

 

Pochettino’s tactical adjustment

 

Without Christian Pulisic, Pochettino had two ways of adjusting his team. He could find a straight replacement for Pulisiic – likely either Tim Weah, Alex Zendejas, or Brenden Aaronson – or he could find a replacement in a different role and adjust tactics.

Pochettino opted for the later approach as he replaced Pulisic with center forward Ricardo Pepi. That then shifted the team into a 3-5-2 formation. Instead of wingers, Pochettino went with a two-striker formation with Folarin Balogun and Pepi.

It was a bold move as the team has never played with two central forwards under Pochettino.

 

The result was not great, but good enough. On the first goal, Folarin Balogun moved dangerously into the box from the left side and he attempted to find Pepi. Instead the ball was redirected into his own net by Australian defender Cameron Burgess.

Balogun played for 90 minutes and Pepi played 74 minutes but neither had a shot on target. That doesn’t mean they didn’t help in the win as they opened channels for others, but it was far from a dominant display.

 

The win was a grind

 

This win was nearly as pretty as the victory over Paraguay. That first half was one of the best in the team’s history. The game against Australia was more a grind, but it was effective. The U.S. team won the lose balls, defending the midfield channels well, controlled possession and the tempo.

In every measure of the game, the U.S. team was better. It didn’t make for an aesthetically pleasing game, but it was competent.

 

McKennie and Freeman stood out

 

In terms of the best U.S. players in the game, Weston McKennie and Alex Freeman were the team’s best players. Weston was in central midfield but shaded more towards the right side to combine with Sergino Dest and Alex Freeman. McKennie was able to create many chances through his passing and dribbling. He has come into this tournament on a completely different level compared with the 2024 Copa America or the 2025 Nations League.

Meanwhile, Alex Freeman is the U.S. team’s breakout player. It wasn’t simply the goal he scored against Australia for a 2-0 lead. He has been very good on both sides of the ball. In central defense, he has to be selective with when he gets into the attack, but when he does he is a handful.

 

Freeman is an elite athlete who is one of the fastest rising USMNT players in recent memory. Less than 12 months ago, he was in his first season as professional starter for Orlando. His call-up seemed a little rushed at the time.

Now, he is on Villarreal and a World Cup starter who is a difference maker at the tournament.

 

Group D Winners

 

In Friday’s last game, Paraguay defeated Türkiye 1-0 in Northern California. It was a remarkable game where Türkiye out possessed and outshot Paraguay by a large margin but could not score. Just before halftime, team veteran and Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almiron was sent off for saying works to an opposing player while covering his mouth.

But Paraguay struck 65 second into the game via Matías Galarza (also of Atlanta United) and then were able to park the bus for over 90 minutes.

 

Despite having 64 shots in its first two games, Turkiye lost its first two games and is shockingly eliminated from advancing to the knockouts. Many pundits and experts believed Türkiye had the talent to potentially make a long run at this World Cup. The team’s exit is one of the tournament’s early surprises

But with these results, the United States is officially the winner of Group D. It Is team’s first World Cup group win since 2010 when Bob Bradley’s team topped a group with England, Slovenia, and Algeria with five points.

 

Finale vs. Turkiye

 

The USMNT and Turkiye must still play each other on Thursday and the result is meaningless to either team as the U.S. will finish atop the group while Turkiye will finish last.

Pochettino is almost certainly not going to play his players who are carrying yellow cards. While yellow cards are wiped clear after the group stage, suspensions are not. This is a huge positive for the U.S. team as some of its best players are currently on one yellow card: Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, and Folarin Balogun. He can also give more recovery time to Pulisic and perhaps rest other veterans such as Tim Ream.

This game will be unpredictable. Türkiye is likely going to play this game hard in order to leave the tournament with a positive. The players are likely angry and humiliated, and will want to take some of those frustrations out on the United States.

But will Türkiye be focused? How will a mostly backup United States starting XI respond?  

Regardless, the U.S. team gets to play a rare World Cup game without any pressure and can instead begin to focus on its round of 32 game on July 1.

 

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