USMNT vs. Australia: Key takeaways from a knockout-sealing win at World Cup

Consider it the first of many. Freeman has everything it takes to be a fixture within this USMNT side: speed, athleticism, intelligence and, if the bench-clearing antics of his teammates are anything to go by, the undying support of his peers.

He's got the support of the nation, too. When his goal was finally cleared by referee Felix Zwayer, the reaction in Seattle was strong enough to set off an earthquake alert across the city. It was a fitting end to Freeman's seismic performance.

No Christian Pulisic, no problem

Much of the narrative surrounding the USMNT this week focused on the availability of attacker Christian Pulisic. Would he be available to face Australia? And if not, would the USMNT be able to break down its fearsome low block without him?

The nation needn't have worried. Pulisic did miss this match, but striker Ricardo Pepi stepped in to fill his shoes with aplomb. He was a menace against Australia and his neat runs with Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie kept the Socceroos defense busy all afternoon.

The USMNT itself knew it'd survive without Pulisic, and it said as much in the lead-up to this match. 

"Thankfully we’ve got a lot of boys on the bench who are eager and ready to get involved with helping the team, a lot of quality," said USMNT defender Antonee Robinson when asked about Pulisic's absence earlier this week. "We’re going to need everyone."

He was right—and Pepi's strong showing proved it.

This team is making history

If it feels like the USMNT is soaring particularly high right now, it's because it is. This is the first time the team has pulled off back-to-back World Cup wins since the tournament debuted in 1930.

It's a wild turn of events for a team that has long struggled to show its best. This is the same unit that lost 5-2 to Belgium in March of this year; it's the same unit that fell 1-0 to Panama in the Nations League a year earlier. What a difference a little belief—and a lot of home support—can make to a team's fortunes.

The USMNT has confirmed its spot in the knockout rounds, but hasn't yet confirmed its seeding. If Paraguay wins or draws against Turkiye in the other Group D game on Matchday 2, then the USMNT will advance in first place regardless of what happens in its own final fixture. If Turkiye pulls off a win instead, then the USMNT will need a result against the Turks to ensure a first-place group finish (and an easier path through the latter stages of the tournament).

The USMNT will continue its World Cup journey on Thursday, June 25 against Turkiye in Inglewood, California.