USA beats Australia 2-0 to advance to World Cup round of 16

SEATTLE (AP) — Christian Pulisic’s injury absence didn’t hurt the United States at all.

The Americans advanced to the World Cup round of 16 without their injured star striker, beating Australia 2-0 on Friday for their second straight victory in the expanded 48-team tournament. The United States then won Group D when Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0 early Saturday morning.

“CP is a fantastic player, the quality and leadership he gives us,” said Folarin Balogun, who scored two goals in the 4-1 win over Paraguay on June 12. “We didn’t have it today, but I think you saw that we are still capable of going out there, getting a result and putting in a performance.”

As the winner of Group D, the United States will play a Round of 16 match on July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif., against a third-place finisher in the group.

Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan and has 33 goals in 87 international matches, missed Friday’s match with a calf injury.

Playing without a talent like Pulisic could have derailed previous U.S. World Cup teams. But a lot has changed since the last time the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994, when it progressed to being one of the best third-place teams. The Americans lost to eventual champion Brazil in the round of 16.

The United States won back-to-back games at a World Cup for the first time since 1930. The Americans scored six goals, one off their record for a World Cup, and had contributions from across their entire roster.

Alex Freeman, the team’s youngest player at 21 and son of former NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute on a free kick. Freeman headed in a deflected shot from Sergiño Dest for his first career World Cup goal. The lens was confirmed after a video review.

“(He) is doing a fantastic job,” coach Mauricio Pochettino said of Freeman. “The growth is huge. He’s so humble. He wants to learn. He always listens. He’s a player that you really enjoy being around. Not just coaching, but being with him.”

The United States took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute after a Balogun run down the left sideline.

He directed a central pass to striker Ricardo Pepi, who started in place of Pulisic. The ball never reached Pepi, deflecting off Australian defender Cameron Burgess and into the Socceroos net for an own goal.

“I want to be dangerous, I want to create opportunities,” Balogun said. “It might not always be me who scores, but if I can force a mistake that gives us the lead, then for me it’s also like a goal. It was a special start to the game to give us the momentum.”

The Americans didn’t score after halftime, but the way they dominated Australia in the first 45 minutes left an impression on Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.

“It didn’t surprise us because their quality is obvious,” Popovic said. “Their power is clear. Their athleticism is clear. They’re not surprising in what they’ve done.”

Expectations will only increase for the United States as momentum builds around the team. The Americans’ start to the tournament did not change Pochettino’s perception of his team and its potential.

“I think it’s much better when you show good performances and win the matches,” Pochettino said. “I think it makes everything easier. But, at the same time, it’s (important) to keep believing.”

The United States learned it could advance from the group stage without Pulisic. And he has the roster to make a deep run.

“We know how vital Christian is to the team and how much he can bring to the game,” Freeman said. “For us it was, we have Ricardo Pepi, who came in and had an incredible game. I think that shows how (good) our squad is.”

___

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos