A 2-0 win over Australia on Friday night in Seattle. A perfect record through the group stage. And now, thanks to Paraguay’s 1-0 win over Turkey, the United States have officially clinched top spot in Group D.
The road to potential World Cup glory is mapped out. And right now it’s looking brighter than American football fans could have dared hope a few weeks ago.
A Perfect Group Stage
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been ruthless. A 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in their opener followed by a controlled, professional 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle — and crucially they did it without their best player. Christian Pulisic missed the game entirely through a calf injury and the USA simply didn’t need him.
The result extended their winning run to two straight World Cup victories for the first time since 1930 and pushed their goal tally to six in the tournament so far — just one short of their all time World Cup record. Cameron Burgess turned a deflected Folarin Balogun cross into his own net in the 11th minute, and Alex Freeman — the 21 year old son of former NFL Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman — headed home a deflected Sergino Dest effort just before halftime to make it 2-0.
What Topping The Group Actually Means
Because they finished top of Group D, the USA now know exactly where their last 32 fixture takes place — Santa Clara, July 1st, 8pm ET. The likely opponent right now is Bosnia-Herzegovina, though that could still shift depending on how the rest of the group stage plays out across the tournament.
Win that, and Pochettino’s side head back to Seattle for the last 16 on July 6th — where a clash against a star studded Belgium side is a genuine possibility.
Go one round further and the quarter finals await in Los Angeles on July 10th, with the likes of reigning European champions Spain or Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal potentially standing in the way.
And if the dream stays alive that deep, the semi final would take place in Dallas on July 14th — with Germany, France or the Netherlands looming as possible opponents depending on how their own routes through the tournament unfold.
The final itself is scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19th. A long way off still. But for the first time in a long time, genuinely within the realm of possibility for this USA team.
The Belief Is Building
Zlatan Ibrahimovic didn’t hold back after the win. “If you didn’t believe before, I will repeat — start believing,” he said on Fox. “They have the country behind them, and when you have this support, it’s difficult to beat you.”
The Swedish legend praised the momentum building inside camp and the manner in which the USA dispatched Australia without their biggest attacking threat. When asked directly by Rebecca Lowe whether the United States could win the entire World Cup, Ibrahimovic gave a one word answer. “Yes.”
The Concern Still Lingering
The one shadow over an otherwise perfect group stage is Pulisic’s fitness. The calf issue that kept him out against Australia is being closely monitored, and with the tournament only getting harder from here, the USA will need their most creative attacking weapon back and firing on all cylinders sooner rather than later.
For now though, top of the group, knockout football secured and a path that — on paper at least — looks navigable. The belief inside the camp is growing. And after Friday night in Seattle, it’s hard to blame anyone for starting to dream a little bigger. 🇺🇸⚽🔥
