The U.S. men's soccer team secured a spot in the World Cup knockout round after defeating Australia 2-0 on Friday. With this victory, the Americans have guaranteed their progress into the Round of 32 with one group match remaining and six points.
Playing in front of a roaring Seattle crowd, the co-hosts maintained a perfect record. The comfortable win was achieved through an early own goal and a header from Alex Freeman.
The victory came despite the absence of injured forward Christian Pulisic. While the team showed they could win without their talisman, coach Mauricio Pochettino is hoping Pulisic will return for their next match. This result marks the first time since 1930 that the American men have won consecutive World Cup matches.