The United States national soccer team broke a 96-year streak at the World Cup on June 19 after beating Australia and earning its first back-to-back win in the tournament since 1930.
What the Victory Over Australia Means for Team USA
The historic performance against Australia at Seattle Stadium saw team USA follow up on its 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay with a sound 2-0 victory against the Aussies. And there was more to this victory than a single win, because the result marked the first time since the inaugural World Cup, back in 1930, that the team had enjoyed consecutive wins. The double victory places the host nation at the top of Group D, and sends them to the knockout stages, whatever the outcome against Turkey in their final group game.
While Team USA is celebrating a brilliant start to its 2026 World Campaign, they will be well aware that those back-to-back victories in 1930, beating Belgium and Paraguay, were halted with a crushing 6-1 defeat against Argentina. Understanding the importance of the knockout stages, critics are advocating that the team could rest some of its busiest players during its upcoming match against Turkey, because they are guaranteed to advance — win, lose, or draw.
It was the Australian defender Cameron Burgess that got the USA off to a winning start on Friday with an eleventh-minute own goal, followed by Alex Freeman’s header through the net. “What dreams are made of,” commented Freeman, who plays for Spanish team Villarreal, after the match. “To do this all on home soil means so much more! Unreal performance from the boys.”
Team USA will be looking to continue its winning streak against Turkey on Friday, June 26 in Los Angeles before heading into the knockout stage.
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