USA 2-0 Australia: Ruthless USA ease into World Cup knockout rounds

Mauricio Pochettino and Tyler Adams spoke afterwards about how incredible the USA fans were in Seattle.

And they were magnificent.

Sound up on the video below to listen to the roar on the first goal. Well done, Seattle.

This is what playing at a home World Cup is all about.

A few months ago not many USMNT fans had Alex Freeman down to be a key player at this World Cup. But he is.

And he made a heck of a difference against Australia.

Not only did Freeman make a great block to clear a cross in the first half with the USA 1-0 up, he also scored a header right at the end of the second half and defended so well throughout.

Here he is speaking to Fox Sports after the game about his goal and the celebrations in Seattle.

USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking after the win against Australia and he looked like a proud father when talking about his players, as American fans chanted his name.

“I think it was a fantastic game again. Very good first half. I think we dominated the game against a very tough team... They deserve all the credit. The players were amazing.”

When asked about Christian Pulisic’s status, Pochettino admitted it was great to see others step up but that the USA missed their creative forward.

“If we want to win the competition we need the whole team, no? All the players need to be important and of course Christian is one of the best players in the world. I hope he can recover as soon as possible and show it on the pitch and help the team.”

The USA took care of business in pretty easy fashion in Seattle, as they beat Australia 2-0 thanks to a goal at the start and end of the first half.

An own goal from Burgess, after great work from Folarin Balogun, and a header from Alex Freeman were the difference.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have done the business.

Australia have changed formations and gone to 4-3-3 and it is working well.

Irankunda is making good runs and Australia are pushing high to win it back.

Seb Berhalter is about to come on for the USA to help them close it out and dictate the tempo.

Irankunda is set free on the break and he plays it back to Volpato, who has just come on.

He lifts his shot over the bar and should do better.

Off the ball Metcalfe went down in the box as Adams clipped him on the calf.

No penalty kick, but that was nervous for the USA.

Australia will feel better about how things are going.

Geira, Irankunda and Metcalfe came on at half time for Australia but not much has changed.

Popovic hasn’t changed the formation.

Australia are struggling to keep the ball and it is all very scrappy.

USA will be very happy with how this is playing out.

What a dream first half for the USA.

They’ve been excellent out wide and have been clinical with Balogun’s cross knocked into his own net by Burgess.

Then right before half time Freeman nodded home a second after a big deflection at a key moment.

Australia have to change something. They don’t look dangerous in attack or on the counter at all.

This has been very easy for the USA.

2-0 to the USA!

A free kick is played to the edge of the box and finds Dest.

He drills it towards goal and it takes a huge deflection and loops up.

Alex Freeman heads home but he’s flagged offside.

But hang on, VAR is checking. After a long delay, the goal is given!

Freeman and his teammates run towards their fans and celebrates.

Alex Freeman, what a clearance that is.

Matthew Leckie with a wonderful cross from the right but Freeman clears under pressure at the near post.

That was a really good piece of defensive work.

Australia are hanging in there.

Great response from the Socceroos, as some lovely combination play on the edge of the box sees the ball fall to Leckie.

He curls a shot with the outside of his right foot inches wide.

That looked like it was in. A warning sign for the USA there. So close to being 1-1.

1-0 to the USA and Burgess has scored an own goal.

It all came from Folarin Balogun being set free down the left and charging away.

He then puts in a really dangerous cross and with Ricardo Pepi lurking and ready to tap home, Burgess can only knock the ball into his own net.

1-0 to the USA and Seattle has gone bonkers!

Alex Freeman with a loose pass at the back and Chris Richards can’t control it.

Mohamed Toure is in but is forced wide by Richards.

His low shot is at the near post and Matt Freese saves.

Bit of a warning sign there for the USA, as they look a little nervous early.

Australia kicks off and launch a couple of long balls forward cleared by Tim Ream.

USA is sat back pretty deep early on.

Tony Popovic has made a couple of surprise changes to his starting lineup, with goalscorers against Turkiye Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe both coming out.

Matthew Leckie and Nishan Velupillay have come in to the lineup out wide in midfield.

Irankunda, who plays for Watford, scored a beauty in the win against Turkiye and is a real threat on the break. Metcalfe also smashed home a lovely effort to seal the win, so perhaps Australia are planning to unleash them both in the second half?

This will be a very solid 5-4-1 formation for Australia.

Australia starting lineup

Beach; Italiano, Circati, Souttar, Burgess, Bos; Leckie, O’Neil, Okon-Engstler, Velupillay; Toure

Here is the confirmed USA starting lineup with Christian Pulisic out injured, so Ricardo Pepi comes in for him in the only change to the team which beat Paraguay last Friday.

This will be a big test for the USA in terms of missing Pulisic’s creativity, but Pepi has been in great form.

It seems like Pepi will start up top to support Folarin Balogun in attack in a 3-4-1-2 formation, a slight tweak from the 3-4-2-1 seen recently.

USA starting lineup

Freese; Freeman, Richards, Ream; Dest, Adams, McKennie, A. Robinson; Tillman; Pepi, Balogun

The USA fans are hyped for this game in Seattle and they are bouncing, literally, behind the Fox Sports desk.

Check out this scene in Seattle outside the stadium.

Christian Pulisic is out injured and will not play against Australia, head coach Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed.

Pulisic suffered a calf injury in the first half of the 4-1 win against Paraguay last Friday and came off at half time.

Speaking to Fox Sports, Pochettino confirmed that Pulisic will not feature in the USA’s second group stage game in Seattle.

Fox are also saying that Pochettino confirmed that Ricardo Pepi will start in Pulisic’s place, which suggests a slight shift in formation with Pepi and Folarin Balogun up top together.

There are plenty of people predicting the USA will beat Australia, including yours truly, but there is also a general feeling that this is going to be a very even game.

Australia will sit deep and soak up pressure before launching counter attacks and the USMNT will have to be wary of not losing their balance and committing too many players forward.

My score prediction is the USA to win 2-1, while Pro Soccer Talk’s Nick Mendola also went for 2-1 to the USA and Andy Edwards had the Americans winning 2-0.

Let’s take a look around Seattle, shall we?

The Emerald City has long been known as the heartbeat of soccer in America and the USMNT have won all six of their previous competitive games in Seattle.

Here’s a look around the city, with so much going on.

The main selection headache for Pochettino is what to do if Pulisic isn’t fit to start.

Here’s our look at how Pochettino could line up from the start.

Berhalter could come in and give the USA a more solid looking midfield, while Tim Weah or Gio Reyna would bring more attacking impetus.

Aside from that, there could be a change at center back with Tim Ream perhaps taken out due to Australia’s pace on the counter.

Overall, the USA won’t make many changes, if any. You’d expect that after their win against Paraguay.

Australia got off to a brilliant start at this World Cup, withstanding serious pressure against Turkiye and winning 2-0 thanks to a brilliant counterattacking display.

Tony Popovic has set Australia up to be tough to break down in a 5-4-1 formation, while Toure and Irankunda up top are a real handful on the break.

Australia are the underdogs, and have been upset with some comments from American media about them, but they relish this role.

The Socceroos are dangerous.

The undisputed star of the USA is Christian Pulisic but he’s struggling with injury.

We have the latest injury update on him here, as Pulisic hasn’t trained with the team this week.

Mauricio Pochettino was non committal on whether or not Pulisic would be available against Australia. But he did suggest that Pulisic would be fit to play Turkiye on Thursday if he doesn’t make today.

There are plenty of options if Pulisic isn’t fit, with Sebastian Berhalter perhaps the top pick but Tim Weah and Gio Reyna will also be pushing for minutes.