U.S. Men's Soccer Team Advances After 2-0 Win Over Australia

The U.S. men's national soccer team defeated Australia 2-0 on Friday at a stadium in Seattle, securing first place in its group and a berth in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup. A player who had previously represented England scored twice in the team's opening 2-0 victory over Paraguay and later assisted on the first goal against Australia.

That goal came when his cross deflected off an Australian defender for an own goal eleven minutes into the match.

The player joined Arsenal's academy at age eight and progressed through England's youth system before choosing to represent the U.S. in 2023. He had scored more goals in major European leagues than any previous U.S. striker, according to the report.

With another forward unavailable due to injury, the player started alongside a teammate and used speed to create chances against Australia's physical defense.

The report noted that 292 players fit this description, including 98 born in France who play for other nations. The U.S. team has historically drawn limited support from Latino communities despite the popularity of soccer among more than 68 million Latinos in the country.

Officials have sometimes scheduled matches in venues with fewer opposing supporters. A court challenge to an executive order on birthright citizenship is scheduled for review by the Supreme Court before the tournament concludes.