U.S. Men's National Team Advances Without Pulisic

SEATTLE — No Christian Pulisic. No problem — at least for now.

The U.S. men’s national team marched into the World Cup knockout rounds on Friday night with a composed, professional 2-0 win over Australia, a result that underlined the depth of this squad and eased some early-tournament nerves in front of a buzzing crowd in Seattle.

They did it without their biggest star. They did it with their youngest.

Life without Pulisic

Pulisic, the AC Milan forward and heartbeat of this U.S. side for much of the last decade, watched from the sidelines with a calf injury, his 33 goals in 87 caps suddenly unavailable on a night that could have turned anxious very quickly.

Instead, the U.S. booked a place in the knockouts after just two group games for the first time in its World Cup history. Not even the 1994 team, when the Americans last hosted the tournament, managed that; back then they slipped through as one of the best third-place finishers before bowing out to eventual champions Brazil in the round of 16.

This group did it with a game to spare.

Early break, early control

Any questions about how they would cope without Pulisic were answered inside 11 minutes.

Folarin Balogun, fresh off his two-goal showing in the 4-1 win over Paraguay on June 12, tore down the left flank, isolating his defender and driving the U.S. forward line deep into Australian territory. His low, driven ball across the box was aimed for Ricardo Pepi, starting in Pulisic’s place as the central striker.

Pepi never touched it.

Australia defender Cameron Burgess, scrambling to cut out the danger, turned the ball into his own net. The Socceroos were behind before they had settled, and the U.S. had exactly what it wanted: a lead, tempo, and control.

From there, the Americans played with a calm that suggested this stage no longer feels foreign. The ball moved crisply, the press stayed organized, and Australia were forced to chase shadows for long stretches.

Freeman’s moment

Then came the moment that may linger longest from this night.

In the 43rd minute, with the U.S. already dictating the rhythm, a set piece swung the game firmly out of Australia’s reach and into the hands of a new American headline.

Alex Freeman — just 21 years old, the youngest player on the roster and the son of former Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman — rose to meet history and a looping ball in the same instant.

Sergiño Dest’s initial effort inside the box took a deflection, popping awkwardly into the air. Freeman reacted first, attacking it with conviction and snapping a header past the Australian goalkeeper for his first World Cup goal.

The stadium erupted. The moment needed a brief pause as the officials checked the build-up on video review, but the decision went the way the night was already leaning. Goal confirmed. 2-0.

For a player still at the dawn of his international career, it was a statement: on this stage, on this night, he was ready.

Depth on display

This was supposed to be a test of U.S. resilience without Pulisic. Instead, it became a showcase of how far the program has come in building a “deep roster” that is more than just a slogan.

Pepi led the line with intelligent movement. Balogun’s direct running constantly stretched Australia. Dest’s involvement in the second goal underlined the attacking threat from the back. And behind them, the structure held, rarely allowing Australia a clear path back into the match.

The Americans did not need late drama. They did not need heroics from their injured star. They needed control, clarity, and a couple of decisive moments.

They got all three.

Now comes the real question: with qualification secured early and Pulisic working back from injury, just how dangerous can this U.S. team become when the knockout rounds begin?