2026年6月19日 / 美国东部时间下午5:04 / 哥伦比亚广播公司/美联社
在西雅图热情爆棚的观众见证下，美国男足国家队于周五的第二场世界杯小组赛中以2-0击败澳大利亚队，就此锁定32强晋级名额。
尽管球队核心攻击型中场克里斯蒂安·普利西奇因小腿伤缺阵，美国队仍在对阵韧性十足的澳大利亚队时打出了精彩表现。
这场胜利证明了球队揭幕战4-1大胜巴拉圭并非偶然。从开场哨声响起，美国队就掌控了比赛节奏，牢牢占据控球优势，让澳大利亚队（“足球袋鼠”）始终处于被动挨打的局面。
美国队在第11分钟率先破门，澳大利亚球员卡梅伦·伯吉斯在处理美国前锋福洛林·巴洛贡一次精妙的传跑配合时出现失误，将球碰进了自家球门。
“我希望能给对手制造威胁，创造得分机会，”巴洛贡赛后说道，“不一定总是我自己进球，但如果我能迫使对方失误帮助球队取得领先，对我来说这就和进球一样。这场比赛的开局为我们奠定了胜势，意义非凡。”
美国队右后卫亚历克斯·弗里曼——队内最年轻的21岁球员，同时也是超级碗冠军得主安东尼奥·弗里曼之子——在第43分钟头球破门，将比分扩大为2-0。当时他接一记被 deflection 后的射门反弹球，在澳大利亚防线前完成头球得分，这也是他职业生涯世界杯首球。
本场胜利让美国队以6分位居G组榜首。球队将在6月25日于加利福尼亚州英格尔伍德的索菲体育场迎来小组赛最后一个对手土耳其队。
“C.P.（普利西奇昵称）是一名极为出色的球员，他为球队带来了高质量的表现和领导力，”巴洛贡说道，他在6月12日对阵巴拉圭的比赛中独中两元。“今天我们缺少了他，但我想大家也看到了，我们依然有能力在赛场上拿出出色表现并拿下胜利。”
澳大利亚队始终未能复刻上周小组赛揭幕战的神奇表现，当时他们以2-0爆冷击败土耳其队。目前澳大利亚队积3分，想要确保晋级淘汰赛，最后一场对阵巴拉圭的比赛至少需要战平。
赛前，美国队主教练毛里西奥·波切蒂诺曾表示，希望球队能匹配澳大利亚队的比赛强度。
“我认为我们需要在规则边界内踢球，”波切蒂诺说道，“绝对不能越过规则红线。”
美国队上一次作为世界杯东道主是在1994年，当时他们凭借最佳第三成绩的身份晋级淘汰赛，随后在1/8决赛中不敌最终冠军巴西队。
而弗里曼则在过去两年里大部分时间都在为入选美国队阵容而努力。他曾是美国职业足球大联盟奥兰多城队的首发球员，但需要与经验更丰富的后卫球员竞争才能获得国家队征召。世界杯开幕前几个月，他做出了一个大胆抉择。
今年1月，弗里曼加盟西甲联赛的比利亚雷亚尔队，接受了比在奥兰多城时更少的出场机会。
两个月前的11月18日，弗里曼在对阵乌拉圭的比赛中上演梅开二度，帮助球队以5-1大胜，那场比赛也是他第13次代表国家队出战，给波切蒂诺留下了深刻印象。
他在世界杯赛场迅速产生了影响力，在对阵巴拉圭的揭幕战中打满了90分钟，并在那场4-1的胜利中助攻乔瓦尼·雷纳打入加时赛进球。
U.S. clinches spot in World Cup knockout round with dominant 2-0 win over Australia
June 19, 2026 / 5:04 PM EDT / CBS/AP
In front of a roaring Seattle crowd, the U.S. men’s soccer team on Friday defeated Australia 2-0 in its second World Cup match, clinching a spot in the Round of 32 in the process.
Despite missing star attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic to a calf injury, the U.S. put on a spectacular performance against a gritty Australian team.
The U.S. showed that its 4-1 win over Paraguay in its opener was no fluke. From the first whistle, the U.S. took control of the game, dominating possession and putting the Socceroos on their heels.
Alex Freeman of U.S. celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s second goal during the World Cup against Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. MB Media / Getty Images
The U.S. opened the scoring in the 11th minute with an own goal from Australia’s Cameron Burgess, who mishandled a brilliant run and pass from U.S. forward Folarin Balogun into his own net.
“I want to be dangerous, I want to create opportunities,” Balogun said after the match. “It might not always be myself that scores, but if I can force an error that gives us the lead, then for me it’s like a goal as well. It was a special start to the game to give us the momentum.”
U.S. right back Alex Freeman — the youngest player on the team at 21 and son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman — doubled the score in the 43rd minute when he put in a header off a deflected shot that rebounded off Australia’s defensive line for his first career World Cup.
The win puts the U.S. at the top of Group G with 6 points. It faces Turkey in its final match on June 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
“C.P. is a fantastic player — the quality and the leadership that he gives us,” said Balogun, who scored two goals in the victory over Paraguay on June 12. “We didn’t have him today, but I think you saw we’re still capable to go out there and get a result and put up a performance.”
Australia was never able to recreate the magic of its World Cup opener last week, when it shocked Turkey 2-0. Sitting on 3 points, it will likely need at least a tie in its final group match against Paraguay to ensure it goes through to the next round.
Prior to the match, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said he wanted his team to match Australia’s intensity.
“I think we need to play on the edge of the line,” Pochettino said, “with not crossing the lines of the rules.”
The last time the Americans served as World Cup hosts in 1994, they advanced by being one of the best third-place teams. They then lost to eventual champion Brazil in their next match, which was in the round of 16.
Freeman, meanwhile, spent much of the last two years vying for a spot on the U.S. roster. He was a starter for Orlando City of Major League Soccer, but had to battle with more experienced defenders to get selected. A few months before the World Cup, he gambled on himself.
In January, Freeman accepted a move to Villarreal of La Liga, accepting a smaller role than what he enjoyed with Orlando.
Two months earlier, Freeman impressed Pochettino in his 13th international appearance, scoring two goals against Uruguay in a 5-1 victory on Nov. 18.
He made an immediate impact in the World Cup, playing all 90 minutes in the U.S. opener against Paraguay. Freeman assisted on Gio Reyna’s extra-time goal in the 4-1 victory.