USMNT vs Australia
This one was full of surprises. Great ones. Three games undefeated now, the first time Poch’s USMNT has come from behind to win a game, and substitute players seizing their moment. Haji Wright with a brace and Roldán dishing up two assists. Exactly the performances you like to see when there’s heavy rotation during these friendlies. And the crowd over in Colorado loved it. Eighteen thousand strong to show their love for this team that now only has four games left until its greatest test. Being there, almost a mile up in elevation, it was tough not to get antsy at the thought of our first ‘26 World Cup game, now only 239 days away…
Photography by: Kyros Morales
A cold Colorado night, a captain’s injury scare, and a striker in unstoppable form — the U.S. men’s national team’s 2–1 win over Australia had a bit of everything.
Down 1–0 early, the USMNT showed grit and maturity to rally past a confident Socceroos side, ending their 12-game unbeaten streak and capping off an encouraging October window for Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
Jordan Bos opened the scoring for Australia in the 19th minute after a messy U.S. clearance, chesting the ball to himself and finishing past Matt Freese for his second international goal. It was a gut punch for a U.S. team that had looked comfortable in possession — and it got worse minutes later when Christian Pulisic limped off with a hamstring concern.
Yet instead of folding, the U.S. found a rhythm. The equalizer came in the 33rd minute through a beautiful passage of play — Chris Richards intercepted a pass, Weston McKennie linked with Cristian Roldan, and the Sounders midfielder slipped a clever through ball to Haji Wright. The Coventry City striker, full of confidence, lifted the ball coolly over goalkeeper Mathew Ryan with the outside of his boot.
If that first goal showcased the U.S.’s growing chemistry, the second showed their awareness and killer instinct. Early in the second half, Roldan caught Australia sleeping with a quick free kick, launching a ball over the top to Wright. With one defender left to beat, Wright cut inside and curled a composed finish into the far corner to complete his brace — and the comeback.
“He’s been incredible — confident, composed, ruthless,” Pochettino said postgame. “That’s the mentality we want across the team.”
For Wright, it was a reminder of his trajectory. Once a fringe player, now a forward capable of defining games — and possibly staking a claim as the USMNT’s leading striker ahead of the 2026 World Cup. His partnership with Roldan, who assisted both goals, provided a glimpse of a side learning to play with purpose and poise even when momentum swings against them.
From there, the U.S. saw the game out with focus. Freese denied Nestory Irankunda late on, while Diego Luna nearly added a third after a neat exchange with Brenden Aaronson. The 18,218 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park could sense something different — not perfection, but progress.
Since Pochettino’s arrival, the U.S. has shown flashes of evolution: pressing with structure, responding to adversity, and developing the belief to claw back into matches. The victory was only their second against a top-25 team under the Argentine, but it felt more like a statement of intent than a mere friendly result.
Next up, the U.S. faces Paraguay and Uruguay in November — their final tune-ups before the pre-World Cup camp. For now, they’ll take pride in the night they showed fight, flair, and a forward finding his moment.
