Seattle could get another U.S. World Cup match
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The U.S. is headed to the World Cup knockout rounds — and Seattle could get an encore.
Why it matters: If the Americans win their Round of 32 match in Santa Clara on July 1, they'll return to Seattle for a Round of 16 game on July 6.
State of play: The U.S. beat Australia 2-0 on Friday and later clinched first place in Group D when Paraguay defeated Turkey 1-0.
- The USA vs. Australia match drew a sellout crowd of 66,925 to Seattle Stadium.
- It was the Americans' second win of the tournament, following a June 12 victory over Paraguay.
Zoom in: Friday's Seattle match — the city's first featuring the U.S. team — delivered some of the tournament's most notable moments so far, from a "Country Roads" singalong to crowd noise strong enough to register on Pacific Northwest seismic monitors.
The big picture: The match marked a milestone decades in the making for Seattle's soccer community as the city hosted World Cup festivities alongside a Mariners game, Juneteenth celebrations, cruise arrivals and thousands of visiting soccer fans.
What they're saying: "The fans were amazing. ... It was an amazing and perfect connection between the energy from the stands and the team," USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said.
The bottom line: Seattle was always guaranteed six World Cup games — but hosting two U.S. matches would be a win on another level.
What's next: Seattle hosts the Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar match on Wednesday.