The United States continued its strong start at the 2026 World Cup on Friday, beating Australia 2-0 after an opening 4-1 win over Paraguay. The result secured the U.S. a place in the next round.
Goals from Cameron Burgess, who scored an own goal, and Alex Freeman decided the match. Under Mauricio Pochettino, the Americans achieved a national milestone, because this was the first time in their history that the team recorded two wins in a World Cup group stage.
The performance also stood out statistically, with the U.S. finishing the first two matches with six goals scored and only one conceded. The article said the team did it in style, and described the achievement as a major personal record for the squad.
Even without scoring, Sergiño Dest drew major praise in the American media. One report said, “Dest’s fingerprint is smeared all over this U.S. win,” noting that he took several shots, helped create the free kick that led to the second goal, and generally “danced on the pitch” while causing Australia problems throughout the tournament so far.
