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Will the United States go all the way? She took a big step forward on Friday by winning Group D.
The Americans became the second team to win their group at the 2026 World Cup. Mexico won Group A on Thursday night, and the United States sealed Group D with their victory over Australia and Turkey’s surprising loss to Paraguay.
Elsewhere, two potential contenders claimed their first victory of the tournament in Group C.
Here’s everything you might have missed on Matchday 9 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
USA vs Australia
- The United States has won back-to-back Men’s World Cup matches for the second time and first since its first two matches ever in the tournament in 1930, which was the first-ever World Cup. This is also the second time the United States has won two group stage matches in a single World Cup.
- The United States became the first team in World Cup history to have an own goal in two consecutive matches. It was the first time in the modern era (since 1990) that the United States had benefited from an own goal in consecutive matches (in all competitions).
- The United States is the second World Cup host nation to score a goal in the first 15 minutes of each of its first two matches in that year’s competition, joining France in 1938, according to OPTA.
- Christian Pulisic did not play against Australia. The U.S. is now 44V-16D-15L when he doesn’t play since his U.S. debut in 2016, and 45V-16D-26L when he does.
- Chris Richards completed 97.8% of his passes at the FIFA World Cup (175 out of 179). This is the second best accuracy by a player in his first two appearances since 1966 (min. 100 passes), behind Romania’s Gheorghe Popescu in 1994, when he was 122 of 124 (98.4%), according to OPTA.
Scotland vs Morocco
- Morocco is undefeated in its last six World Cup group stage matches (3W-3D-0L) and has not lost since June 20, 2018, a 1-0 defeat against Portugal.
- Ismael Saibari scored in his second consecutive World Cup match. He is only the second African player to score in his first two appearances at the World Cup, after Egyptian Mohamed Salah. He also became the first Moroccan player to score in consecutive World Cup matches.
- Saibari scored in the first two minutes of the match. This is the fastest goal Morocco has scored in its World Cup history.
- Morocco completed 601 passes against Scotland, the most recorded by an African team in a World Cup match since 1966 (according to OPTA).
- Scotland have won just one of their 13 matches against African opposition at the World Cup.
Brazil vs. Haiti
- Brazil secured their first victory of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 win over Haiti at the Philadelphia Stadium. Brazil has won at least one of its first two World Cup matches in each of the last 13 editions of the tournament. The last time Brazil failed to win in their first two World Cup matches was in 1978, with two draws.
- Haiti is the first team eliminated from the World Cup.
- Brazil (241) once again overtook Germany (239) and once again becomes the country with the most goals scored in the history of the World Cup.
- It was Brazil’s first clean sheet in the World Cup, having scored at least three goals since 2010 (round of 16 against Chile).
- With an average of 30 years and 190 days, Brazil fielded its oldest team in a World Cup match since the 1962 final against Czechoslovakia (30 years and 216 days), according to OPTA.
Türkiye vs. Paraguay
- Atlanta United’s Matias Galarza is the third MLS player to score at this World Cup, after Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Petar Musa (FC Dallas). His goal was also the fastest of the tournament; that’s tied with the 2002 tournament, when Brian McBride, Landon Donovan and Clint Mathis all scored for the United States.
- Galarza became the first player since the introduction of yellow cards in 1970 to score a goal and receive a yellow card before the 15th minute in a World Cup match.
- Gustavo Gómez made nine first-half clearances against Turkey, the highest tally by a South American player in the first phase of a World Cup match since Walter Samuel’s nine against Nigeria in 2002.
- Turkey failed to score despite 62 attempted shots in their first two matches at this year’s World Cup, the most attempts without a goal in two matches in the competition since 1966 (according to OPTA).
- Turkey has failed to score in its last three World Cup matches (2002 semi-final against Brazil and match against Australia).
THE BEST OF THE DAY
Objective of the day
After Lucas Paquetá fought to recover the ball in midfield, he distributed it to Vinícius Júnior, who raced towards goal before finding a sprinting Matheus Cunha at the top of the area. Once Cunha received the ball, he dribbled towards the goal before unleashing a left-footed shot with so much power that he threw himself to the ground in the process.
Help of the day
Although Balogun was not officially credited for an assist on Australia’s own goal that allowed the United States to open the scoring, he should be credited for doing all the work leading up to the goal. Balogun charged down the left flank at full speed and cut inside the box, and his ensuing cross into the middle forced an own goal as the ball bounced off Cameron Burgess and into the back of the net.
Save of the day
The United States got its first clean sheet of the World Cup and Alex Freeman showed some excellent defending to likely prevent an Australian goal. The full-back slipped in perfectly at the near post to prevent Nishan Velupillay from connecting with Matthew Leckie’s low cross and keeping the Stars and Stripes in the lead.
Time of day
Country roads, take me home
The United States secured its place in the round of 16 with a 2-0 World Cup victory over Australia on Friday, but the real magic happened after the final whistle. More than 65,000 fans at Seattle Stadium began serenading the victorious Americans, breaking into massive chants of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
