USA confirmed their qualification for the knockout stages of their home World Cup after a thoroughly deserved win over Australia.
The United States booked their place in the last 32 of the World Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Australia at Seattle Stadium.
After winning their openers in Group D, both teams knew a win would send them through, with the USA getting the three points they needed thanks to an own goal from Cameron Burgess and an Alex Freeman header.
Mohamed Toure could have given Australia a surprise lead with just 40 seconds on the clock, but his tight-angled shot from the right of the box was well held by Matt Freese.
The USA upped the pressure after that and got their reward inside 11 minutes as Folarin Balogun raced down the left to fizz a low cross in. Ricardo Pepi – brought in to replace the injured Christian Pulisic – was denied a tap-in as Burgess bundled into his own net.
Mathew Leckie almost got Australia an immediate response at the other end, but his lovely outside-of-the-boot shot curled just over the crossbar.
Weston McKennie then thumped a free header straight at Alessandro Circati, but Freeman doubled the USA’s lead just two minutes before the break.
Sergiño Dest’s blocked shot looped into the air, and Freeman nodded it into an empty net – though the offside flag initially went up, the goal stood after a VAR check showed the defender timed his run correctly.
Later, Balogun’s stunning solo run ended in a blocked attempt from just inside the box before Australia sparked to life just after the hour as Tony Popovic’s substitutes started to impact the play. Cristian Volpato blazed a shot over before Connor Metcalfe fired straight at Freese.
The USA switched off towards the end of the match as Circati’s low drive hit the crowd of bodies between him and the goal, but Australia failed to mount a comeback.
No Pulisic, No Problem
All the talk in the build-up was focused on whether Pulisic would play, and, if he could not, who would replace him in the line-up.
Pepi was the one to fill his place, but the USA never looked like they were in trouble; Dest topped the shot count, having three attempts – one of which was saved on the stroke of half-time – with McKennie, Pepi and Balogun all having two apiece.
It was ultimately a member of the back three who secured the three points, though, with Freeman the second defender to score for the USA in the World Cup since 1994, after John Brooks against Ghana in 2014.
While they have now benefited from five own goals at World Cups – and two in this edition alone – this is also just the second time the USA have scored multiple goals in the first half of consecutive games at the tournament, after the inaugural 1930 edition.
Their goal tally is already up to six, and they only need one more to equal their best-ever record at a single World Cup (seven in both 1930 and 2002), and they will be determined to surpass that against Türkiye in their final group game.
They will be back in Los Angeles for that match, potentially with the top spot already secured – if Paraguay avoid defeat against Türkiye. But Australia have work to do if they want to qualify, with the South Americans their final opponents. Both games will take place on 25 June.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the USA vs Australia stats from their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D meeting at Seattle Stadium on 19 June.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
USA vs Australia: Post-Match Opta Facts
- USA have won two consecutive matches at the FIFA World Cup for the second time and the first time since winning their first two ever matches in the competition in 1930.
- CONCACAF nations have netted 17 goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, already the most ever in a single edition (Canada 7, USA 6, Mexico 3, Curaçao 1).
- USA are the first team in the history of the FIFA World Cup to benefit from an own goal in two consecutive matches.
- Australia have conceded three own goals in their FIFA World Cup history (also in 1974 and 2018); only Mexico (4) have conceded more (Bulgaria, Morocco and Switzerland also 3).
Enjoy this? Add Opta Analyst as a preferred source by clicking here.
Enjoy this? Subscribe to our football newsletter to receive exclusive weekly content. You should also follow our social accounts over on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
