World Cup 2026: Balogun shines again as USA storm into knockout stage

Nigerian-rooted forward Folarin Balogun delivered another influential performance as the United States became one of the first teams to book a place in the knockout phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 2-0 victory over Australia.

Balogun, who switched allegiance from England to the United States despite his Nigerian heritage, led the American attack with a tireless display in Seattle. The striker recorded 33 touches, completed nine passes, won three duels and registered two shots as the hosts secured a second consecutive victory in Group D.

The result confirmed the United States’ place in the Round of 32 and guaranteed them top spot in the group following Paraguay’s 1-0 victory over Türkiye later in the day.

The Americans continued to impress even without injured captain Christian Pulisic, extending a remarkable record that now stands at 44 wins, 16 draws and 15 defeats when the AC Milan winger is absent. The victory also marked only the second time the United States have won their opening two matches at a World Cup.

Elsewhere, Morocco continued Africa’s strong showing at the tournament with a victory over Scotland. Ismael Saibari scored for the second consecutive World Cup match to become the first Moroccan player to achieve the feat.

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Brazil bounced back from their opening setback with a convincing 3-0 win over Haiti. The five-time world champions became the highest-scoring nation in World Cup history once again, overtaking Germany with 241 goals.

Paraguay boosted their qualification hopes with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye. Matias Galarza scored the tournament’s joint-fastest goal and helped eliminate the Turkish side, who became the first team since records began to attempt 62 shots across two matches without finding the net.

As the group stage gathers pace, Balogun and the United States are already dreaming of a deep run on home soil, while several traditional powers continue their march towards the knockout rounds.