If there was a time to dream big about the USMNT a...
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- USMNT beat Australia 2-0 in Seattle on Friday, following an earlier win over Paraguay, to open World Cup group play with two comprehensive but very different victories.
- Folarin Balogun has scored two goals and forced a third via an own goal, emerging as a true striker the U.S. has long lacked.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic answered "Yes" on Fox's postgame show when asked if co-host USA could win the World Cup, and Chris Richards echoed, "We want to lift a trophy by the end of this."
- Christian Pulisic sat out the second half against Paraguay and the entire Australia match with a calf injury; the U.S. won both games without its star.
- Tim Ream, the veteran captain, broke down in tears after the Australia win, telling teammates this is "the most fun, special, enjoyable group that I've been a part of."
- Tyler Adams said the "biggest goal" is changing how American fans think about the national team: "I just want every game to matter to the common spectator."
Why it matters: Two opening wins without Pulisic — and a striker in Balogun actually scoring — changes the texture of this co-host run from a feel-good story into a credible tournament bid. Ream calling this the best squad of his career and Adams explicitly targeting American fan engagement suggest the players feel the same shift. For U.S. Soccer, the bar is no longer just "compete"; it's "make every American actually care."
