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Soccer won. That much could have been predicted before a temperate and bright Friday afternoon in the Pacific north-west, in a rare match between two sides that can agree on that terminology.

The manner of play, too, had been predicted by the players and coaches of both teams: a tight, competitive match of football (or whatever you want to call it), with a 2-0 win for the United States delighting the vast majority of the 66,925-strong sellout crowd and securing the host nation’s place in the knockout round.

The result could also see US could secure top spot in Group D, depending on the Turkey v Paraguay match goes later on Friday.

Unlike most participating nations, the US and Australia seemingly play every World Cup with the weight of the future of their sport on their shoulders, as both sides face competition for soccer attention from other sports.

The significance of this match was never going to be in question, though. Not at the World Cup, and certainly not in a group as balanced as Group D, with both sides coming off impressive World Cup-opening wins.

Australia fans, almost uniformly resplendent in yellow, were audible throughout in their three large pockets of support centred around Seattle Stadium’s south end. However this was ultimately a raucous and partisan crowd in one of the capitals of the sport in the United States.

A flyover of a quartet of military helicopters, timed perfectly to coincide with the end of the US national anthem, lent an already big occasion an additional weight; a moment of awe to whip up raw, patriotic fervor before the on-field fireworks to come.

Speculation about Christian Pulisic’s status dominated the leadup up to the match. The US star left his team’s World Cup opener after 45 minutes with a calf injury, and trained separately from the team all week. Shortly before kick-off, Pochettino confirmed that he was not available for selection, casting some doubt as to how the US would do in attempting to break down Australia’s backline.

Australia had been given a fair bit of bulletin board material in the buildup, with various US pundits speculating that the Socceroos would be a “layup,” or a collection of other fairly demeaning terms for a side that showed well in its own World Cup opener. The US players and coach, by contrast, had spoken about the quality of this Australian team, to a man testifying to the side’s quality and the difficulty to come, as if it were a mantra.

The US’s words were given some backing in the very first minute, as Alex Freeman’s loose pass was intercepted by an alert Mohamed Touré, who couldn’t find a way around Chris Richards and fired a low shot from a narrow angle into the arms of Matt Freese.

The Americans took control of the game shortly thereafter, though, probing an organized Australia backline though both channels.

That was how the breakthrough came, with Antonee Robinson playing forward to Folarin Balogun, shifted out wide to where Pulisic might otherwise have been. Beating Jacob Italiano for pace, Balogun fired a low service into the area that Burgess knew little about, and could only deflect into his own net.

It was the second consecutive time in this World Cup that the US benefited from an early own goal. But unlike the Paraguay side who came apart when pressed, the Australian backline held resolute even as the US continually pressed along all avenues.

Australia had a chance to reply just two minutes later, with Touré holding up the ball against a tight US backline, Mathew Leckie attempted an audacious outside of the boot effort from the top of the box around Richards, which went high and wide.

The physical battles that both teams said would be a hallmark of this matchup began to crop up at this point, but only in spots. Nishan Velupillay riled up US fans with a hard tackle on Tyler Adams just in front of the US bench. Jordan Bos was issued the first yellow card for a hand to the face of Weston McKennie shortly thereafter, with Alessandro Circati picking up another later on for clipping Malik Tillman’s heel as he darted toward the Australia box; the resulting free-kick was bravely cleared.

In the 39th minute, a clash of heads between Freeman and Paul Okon-Engstler left both players on the ground and needing medical treatment. Both stayed in the game, with Freeman going on to double the lead moments later.

The genesis of that goal, though, came from Tillman, who battled Velupillay to keep the ball along the Australia endline, eventually earning a dangerous free-kick. Robinson played it to the top of the box to Sergiño Dest, whose shot was deflected by a flying Harry Souttar. Freeman was first to the rebound, bundling it into the back of the net in a goal that was initially checked for offside, then later allowed. Freeman, by then back in his customary center-back position, ended up celebrating at the opposite end that the goal occurred, surrounded by his teammates onrushing from the bench.

Tony Popovic responded to that lackluster first half with a raft of substitutions and an adjusted tactical approach. Jason Geria came in for Burgess, and the two goalscorers from the Socceroos’ last game, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, replaced Touré and Velupillay. The result was a much more attack-minded 4-3-3 in possession, dropping to the same five-man backline against the ball.That approach brought its own risks, first tested just seven minutes after half-time as McKennie took possession and sent Balogun through on goal with only Souttar in pursuit. Balogun’s shot was eventually blocked, but the warning shot had been fired.

It also brought rewards. Robinson picked up the United States’ first yellow card of the afternoon in the 56th minute in an attempt to stop a developing play down his side.

Another change came for Australia just after the hour mark, with Cristian Volpato replacing Leckie. The Sassuolo man had a key moment almost immediately, firing over the bar from within the box after a surging run from Irankunda down the right flank. Metcalfe had another attempt minutes later smothered by Freese with little difficulty.

Popovic continued to make attacking changes, bringing on Jackson Irvine in place of Paul Okon-Engstler, while Pochettino opted for defensive-minded swaps of Robinson, Dest, and Ricardo Pepi in favor of Sebastian Berhalter, Auston Trusty and Joe Scally.

The changes allowed the Socceroos to grow into the game, manufacturing desperate opportunities by Alessandro Circati and near-misses by others. Physical challenges threatened to boil over as the crowd chanted “USA”. With Souttar, Balogun and Italliano receiving late yellow cards for incidents on and off the ball.

The final whistle was delayed only slightly by an odd injury to referee Felix Zwayer, who later finished out the game. Sensing the environment flagging, Balogun waved his arms to start a party in what was, officially for the moment, Soccer City, USA.