
The USMNT clinical first half secures a 2-0 win over Australia, locking up first place in Group D. Read our full post-match analysis.
Last Updated: June 20, 2026The USMNT handled business with absolute authority, defeating Australia 2-0 at Lumen Field to officially secure the top spot in Group D. Thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker rules, the USA’s six points over Paraguay and Australia mean first place is completely locked up—even if they drop their group finale against Turkey.
After cashing our Over 2.0 goals bet in the Paraguay blowout, this matchup was all about early execution. The victory was entirely constructed in the first 45 minutes. The scoring opened via an own goal from Australian center-back Cameron Burgess. Alexander Freeman then doubled the advantage in the 43rd minute, effectively putting the game on ice before halftime.
In the second half, Mauricio Pochettino wisely shifted gears. He opted to preserve his squad’s legs and focused strictly on defensive organization, using the comfortable lead as a live reps session to tighten things up at the back.
With the group already secured, the USA now heads down the West Coast. Their next match is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, kicking off at 7:00 PM (PDT) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Looking ahead, BetOnline has updated the USMNT’s tournament futures:
- To Win the World Cup: +3300
- To Reach the Final: +1200
- To Reach the Semifinals: +500
- To Reach the Quarterfinals: +137
My previous bet was the over 2.0 goals for USA vs Paraguay.
My wager for USA vs Australia
The United States’ 4-1 victory over Paraguay marked the first dominant performance by any squad in this tournament. Team USA completely controlled possession (65%), strung together nearly 600 passes, and created high-quality scoring chances, finishing with 1.42 xG off 16 shots. That expected goals metric could have been even higher if they’d been just a bit sharper on the final pass.
During CONMEBOL qualifying, Paraguay was highly praised for its rock-solid defense and low goals-against average. For that match, the US opened at +110 on the moneyline, but after their performance, their odds to take all 3 points have dropped significantly to -175 (down from a previous lookahead line of -143).
The great impression the US made in their opener is the main reason for this line movement. The books adjusted, and the public money immediately poured in. While I really like the idea of backing the US here, Australia also looked impressive in their first match.
The Aussies took down Turkey 2-0 in their opener, generating 1.18 xG on 9 shots. They are a team comfortable ceding possession and playing without the ball.
In recent friendlies against Mexico and Switzerland, Australia allowed under 0.85 xGA per match, proving they are no slouch defensively.
Less than a year ago, back in October, the US beat Australia 2-1 in a friendly at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, with both teams finishing right around 1.30 xG.
Getting Australia at +1 on the point spread (goal line) looks like a very solid play under these circumstances, especially since a draw wouldn’t be a bad result for them.
- My Pick: Australia +1 Spread (-121) on BetOnline
- Lean: Both Teams to Score (+100) on BetOnline
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