The United States beat Australia 2-0 at Lumen Field in Seattle on Friday, securing a second straight Group D win in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a place in the round of 32.
ESPN's World Cup scoreboard listed the match as full time after 90 minutes plus stoppage time, with the United States moving to 2-0-0 and Australia dropping to 1-0-1. Bundesliga.com's match report also described the result as enough to send the U.S. through early.
Own Goal And Freeman Header Decide Group D
The breakthrough came in the 11th minute, when ESPN credited Cameron Burgess with an own goal that put the United States ahead. Alex Freeman doubled the lead in the 43rd minute with a header, giving the hosts both of their goals before halftime.
The scoreline matched the shape of the match. ESPN logged the United States with 62 percent possession, 10 total shots and seven corners, while Australia finished with five shots and four corners. Both teams put two attempts on target, which says plenty about how much the U.S. did with its best first-half moments.
Bundesliga.com reported that Christian Pulisic was ruled out with a calf injury, with Ricardo Pepi coming into the lineup. Australia also changed its starting group from the opening win over Turkey, bringing in Mathew Leckie and Nishan Velupillay while leaving Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe on the bench.
U.S. Advances Before Final Group Match
The win gave the United States six points from two Group D matches. ESPN listed the U.S. competitor entry with an advance marker after the result, and Bundesliga.com's report put the same consequence in plain terms: the hosts are into the round of 32.
That matters because this was a result built without Pulisic, the most obvious attacking name in the American squad. Freeman's goal and the early pressure that produced Burgess' own goal gave the U.S. a cleaner path than a long second-half scramble.
Australia still has three points from two matches, but the defeat leaves the Socceroos needing their final Group D game to settle the rest of their tournament path. For the United States, the verified news is already settled: two matches, two wins, and a knockout place booked before the last group date.