The United States advances to the World Cup knockout stage after beating Australia 2-0 on Friday, doing so without injured forward Christian Pulisic. Multiple reports say the absence of Pulisic, who misses the match because of a calf injury, does not prevent the U.S. from securing the result. The win moves the United States into the tournament’s round of 32/knockout round.
Sources describe the victory as comfortable or dominant, with two goals securing the points. One report attributes the first goal to an early own goal by Australia, followed by a goal scored by Alex Freeman for the U.S., while other coverage summarizes the match as a 2-0 win without detailing every goal moment. Several outlets also note the broader group implications: the United States finishes at the top of Group D after other group results, including Paraguay beating Turkey 1-0 early Saturday morning. With the U.S. second straight victory in the competition, the team clinches its place in the knockout round.
