Australia fall 2–0 to USA, Paraguay decider awaits

USA 2–0, now it all comes down to Paraguay

Your team fell 2–0 to the USA on Friday and now face a straight shootout with Paraguay to survive Group D (1) (6). Cameron Burgess scored an own goal in the 11th minute, and Alex Freeman made it two before half-time (5). Folarin Balogun created the first, using his pace to breeze past the Australian defence before firing across goal (5).

Tony Popovic made changes to the XI that beat Turkey, explaining afterwards: "We didn't want to go with the same XI" (1). USA had 78% possession in the opener against Turkey, and they looked sharp again here. Pochettino called his players "fantastic" and praised their tactical flexibility (6).

Paraguay's coach is already warning his players

Gustavo Alfaro is not letting Paraguay underestimate your team. The Paraguay head coach has warned his squad ahead of the decisive group match, knowing Australia only need a draw to go through (3). Paraguay beat Turkey 2–0 in their second match, meaning Turkey are now eliminated from the World Cup (7).

Trusty makes his World Cup debut

Former Celtic defender Auston Trusty earned his first World Cup cap for the USA against Australia (4). The 27-year-old started under Mauricio Pochettino alongside Sergino Dest in defence. US media rated the debut solidly, with Trusty composed for most of the night (4).

Fan reactions

The mood among Australian fans is one of frustration, but the maths is clear and the hope is alive. Irankunda did not hold back about the officiating: "The ref was having a stinker today, he was giving every call to the USA," and that sentiment has picked up traction across threads. The group permutations are straightforward: USA are through as group winners, Turkey are out, and Australia need a draw against Paraguay to finish second. The full Group D breakdown is here.