First Place Secured: The USMNT clinched Group D with a match to spare, setting up a Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Group Stage Results and Standings
The US opened Group D play with a 4-1 win against Paraguay on June 13. In their second match, the US defeated Australia 2-0 on June 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle. This win, combined with Paraguay's subsequent 1-0 victory over Turkey, secured first place in Group D for the United States. The US finished the group stage with six points.
Christian Pulisic Injury and Availability
Christian Pulisic, the US captain, sustained a left calf injury during the opening match against Paraguay. He aggravated the injury during the first half and was removed at halftime. Pulisic had contributed to the first two goals of that match before exiting.
Following the injury, Pulisic was described as "day-to-day" by a U.S. Soccer spokesperson. He participated in modified training, including light passing drills, and wore a compression sleeve on his left calf. Pulisic did not participate in full training ahead of the match against Australia.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Pulisic was unavailable for the match against Australia. Pulisic returned to full team training on the Monday following the Australia match. He was available for the final group stage match against Turkey and entered that game as a second-half substitute in the 58th minute.
Match Details: USA vs. Australia
The US defeated Australia 2-0 on June 19. The goals were scored in the 11th minute, when a cross from Folarin Balogun was deflected into the net by Australian defender Cameron Burgess for an own goal, and in the 43rd minute, when Alex Freeman scored a header from close range following a corner kick. The goal by Freeman was his first World Cup goal. The win marked the first time the US has advanced to the knockout round after two group matches.
"The win marked the first time the US has advanced to the knockout round after two group matches."
Match Details: USA vs. Turkey
The US lost to Turkey 3-2 on June 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The match had no impact on either team's tournament standing, as the US had already secured first place in Group D and Turkey had been eliminated.
Coach Pochettino made nine changes to the starting lineup from the previous match. Players rested included Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, and Folarin Balogun, all of whom were at risk of suspension due to yellow cards.
The US took an early lead in the 3rd minute when defender Auston Trusty scored from a corner kick. Turkey equalized in the 8th minute through Barış Alper-Yılmaz. Turkey took the lead in the 31st minute via Orkun Kökçü. The US equalized in the 48th minute through Sebastian Berhalter. Kaan Ayhan scored the winning goal for Turkey in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Round of 32 Match Preview
The US will play Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. This is the first competitive match between the two teams. Their only prior meetings were three friendlies, with the most recent being a 1-0 US victory on December 18, 2021.
Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced to the knockout round as one of the best third-placed teams after finishing third in Group B with a draw against Canada and a win against Qatar. This is Bosnia's second World Cup appearance and its first time reaching the knockout stage. The team is captained by veteran striker Edin Džeko.