Rise of a Football God
Chapter 524: Round of 32; USA vs Australia

Chapter 524: Round of 32; USA vs Australia

On the 4th of July, Netherlands scraped through a tough Polish challenge, pushing on to the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup.

But Netherlands vs Poland was not the final game of July 4th.

For July 4th, the FIFA World Cup officials made a special tweak, bringing the first fixture originally scheduled for July 5th back to July 4th, and it was the epic Round of 32 clash between USA and Australia.

[FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 32]

[Match 12: USA vs Australia]

[Venue: BC Place, Vancouver, Canada]

[Date: July 4th, 2026]

[Kick-off: 18:00 local time]

[Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)]

The game was tagged the Independence Day Showdown.

It was a mild summer evening at the BC Place in Canada, electric under the roof of the stadium.

The United States, playing in Canada and on the biggest national holiday of the year for them, walked onto the pitch with pressure pulsing in every heartbeat.

Australia, fearless and efficient throughout the group stage, had no interest in being background dancers in America’s party.

The seers already had their say.

This game would become a contest of endurance, emotion, and edge-of-your-seat suspense.

A Nailbiter on Independence Day.

For USA, they started in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Matt Turner in goal, while ahead of him was a defensive quadruple of Sergino Dest, Richards, Ream, and Fulham’s Antonee Robinson.

In midfield was the duo of Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, while the creative forwards were Giovanni Reyna, Musah, and Christian Pulisic, who was also Captain America for the night.

Leading the line for the Americans was Ricardo Pepi as the striker.

For Australia, starting in a 4-4-2, they had Matthew Ryan in goal, while ahead of him was a defensive quadruple of Atkinson, Souttar, Rowles, and Behich.

In midfield was another quadruple comprising Baccus, Mooy, Irvine, and Boyle, while the 2 strikers were Mabil and Duke.

FWEEE!

The game started and right from the onset, the fireworks started early as Australia got their first yellow card of the game as early as the 3rd minute when their midfielder, Booy pulled down Weston McKennie, stopping a potentially dangerous American counterattack.

But that was only the prelude.

Because in less than 10 minutes after that cryptic foul, USA tore the deadlock apart with the first goal of the game in the 13th minute.

Who else? Christian Pulisic. The Captain America script wrote itself.

Giovanni Reyna slalomed through midfield and released Pulisic with a slicing through ball. One touch. One rocket. Top corner.

The goalkeeper stood no chance.

1-0 USA.

BC Place erupted. It felt like destiny.

But Australia didn’t blink, already locked into the game.

For a while after USA took the lead, it seemed like it was the first of an American slaughter on the night, but the Australian defense held for dear life.

Australia’s situation turned from bad to worse when Mabil, one of their 2 starting strikers suffered a knock, forcing him out of the game.

Craig Goodwin came in for Mabil.

For the Australians, it felt like a curse, but the curse became the blessing.

In the 27th minute...

BOOM!

Australia got their equalizer through the substitute striker, Craig Goodwin.

Mooy sent a long diagonal pass. Goodwin controlled beautifully, drifted past Dest with agile movement, and curled one low past Turner.

1-1.

Just like that. And the tension was restored.

All of a sudden, the American domination of the game evaporated as the proceedings on the pitch became even once again.

In the 39th minute of the game, Giovanni Reyna came close for USA, his shot from 25 yards out smacking the bar.

USA were pressing still, but Australia were defending with everything.

And for some reason, it felt like their defense would never be broken again, at least not by this American attack.

They held.

The first half came to an end 1-1.

A few minutes later, the second half began. It was a game of grit, tactics, and desperation for both teams.

Pochettino brought on Leon Balogun for Pepi, switching to a more aggressive 4-4-2 diamond in a desperate quest to break the deadlock a second time.

In the 60th minute, Australia’s Mat Ryan made a terrific save.

Pulisic hit a volley from the edge of the box; Ryan at full stretch tipped it wide, eliciting wild cheers from the Australian fans.

Heroics from the Aussie goalkeeper.

And then just 6 minutes later, Australia got a chance, Duke snatching the ball at a rebound in the box before quickly unleashing a shot.

It veered off the post by mere inches.

You could hear hearts racing in the stadium.

The game teetered, neither side breaking. Extra time loomed.

But then, in the 82nd minute of the game, the breakthrough came.

GOAL! USA.

Yunus Musah was the star.

Adamns won the ball back just outside Australia’s 18-yard box, and slipped it to Musah, who surged into space. Then, he fired from the top of the box; the ball took a wicked deflection and wrong-footed Ryan.

2-1 USA.

BOOM!

American fans in the stadium exploded, going haywire in celebrations.

Relief, bedlam, celebration.

The crowd erupted like it was July 4th fireworks all over again.

In the final minutes of the game, it was survival mode for USA as Australia refused to die.

Mooy and Boyle flooded forward. Set pieces rained in. Turner made two stunning saves, including a bullet header from Souttar in the 94th minute.

But then...

FWEEE!

The game came to an end.

[FULL-TIME: USA 2-1 Australia]

The Americans held on. Barely. But hold on they did.

Christian Pulisic won the man of the match award with his 1 goal, 4 chances created, and 7 successful dribbles.

"He’s the face of this team for a reason," the commentator said. "And tonight, he was its heartbeat".

The post-match reactions to the game were just as crazy as the other games.

Pulisic faced the media and said his bit.

"We knew it wasn’t going to be a party, but we gave the fans something to celebrate. Proud of the fight".

Graham Arnold, the Australian coach also had a few words for the media.

"They were just that bit sharper. We’ll be back stronger".

Matt Turner? The goalkeeper on top of the world also said his piece.

"Those final saves... that’s what dreams are made of".

The United States advanced to the Round of 16.