All 48 teams in the 2026 World Cup have at least played twice now. Seven squads clinched a knockout round berth following Match Day 2, including the U.S.
Quibble with the quality of opposition all you want after the Americans calmly dispatched Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0), but more talented teams have messed around against minnows and found out. I’m looking at you, Spain and Portugal, who walked in overconfident against Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of Congo, respectively, and walked out with draws. I’m also looking at Belgium, which has scored once in a pair of stalemates opposite Egypt and Iran.
And I’m very much looking at talkative Türkiye, the Americans’ final group-stage opponent tonight in Los Angeles, which was punked 2-0 by Australia and looked punchless in a 1-0 loss to Paraguay despite playing with a man advantage the entire second half. Sixty-two shots, zero goals, and one oversized helping of humble pie on the flight back to Istanbul.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has had both hands on the wheel in each match. On Friday against Australia, the home side kept the Socceroos at arm’s length (0.35 expected goals). The first half was a decent bit of soccer; the second was more jostling, and I was left wondering if the Americans would trip on any obvious banana peels laid by the Australians. All the physicality brought me back to my college pickup hoops days playing against ex-high school football players who boasted ample strength but little in the way of dribbling or shooting skill.
Neither the U.S. nor Türkiye has nothing to play for tonight but pride and statistics, so I’m interested to see how risky U.S. skipper Mauricio Pochettino is feeling. Four players (midfielder Tyler Adams, striker Folarin Balogun, defender Chris Richards, and wingback Antonee Robinson) are one more caution away from suspension for the Round of 32. Will they be benched? Talisman Christian Pulisic, who missed the Australia match with a balky calf, is again fit to play but may not be risked.
The Stars and Stripes already know their Round of 32 plans—they’ll play again July 1 in San Francisco, three days prior to America’s 250th birthday. The likely opponent is Bosnia and Herzegovina, which frustrated Canada in a 1-1 draw, was blown away 4-1 by Switzerland, and dropped Qatar 3-1. Check back next week for a preview.
Star scorers shining
The past few match days reminded me of watching the NBA playoffs in my 20s. LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki would go off one night, and the next night would be Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant’s turn to shine. On Monday, we were treated to Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe all scoring two goals apiece in victories.
Messi is up to five goals in two matches and has overtaken German great Miroslav Klose for the most World Cup goals ever (18). The much-maligned Cristiano Ronaldo recorded his own brace on Tuesday for good measure, making him the only player to score in six World Cups. Messi has played in six, too, but did not score in 2010.
But the spotlight shifts back to the Americans tonight. While three points won’t mean much in determining the next opponent, a positive showing would carry momentum into next week and create a rapturous atmosphere in the home of the San Francisco 49ers. A return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 is within reach.
Grant Freking is in his eighth year of FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine.
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