BSJ Live Coverage: World Cup - USA 2, Australia 0 (2nd half) - Balogun, Freeman score as US continues dominating run of play

Since there's nothing else going on, let's have a little fun, eh? See you in the comments.

WHO: USA (1-0) vs. Australia (1-0)
WHEN: 3 p.m.
WHERE: Seattle Stadium.
TV: FOX

LIVE BOX SCORE

ROSTERS

LINEUPS

USA

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese

Defenders: Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson

Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman

Attacking Midfielder / Right Winger: Sergiño Dest

Forwards: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi

AUSTRALIA

Goalkeeper: Patrick Beach

Defense: Henry Souttar, Alessandro Circati, Cameron Burgess, Jordan Bos, Jacob Italiano

Midfield: Nishan Velupillay, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O'Neill, Mathew Leckie

Attack: Mohamed Touré

PREGAME NOTES

From FOX:

Christian Pulisic will not be available for the United States' penultimate group stage match against Australia, head coach Mauricio Pochettino told Jenny Taft in an exclusive to FOX Sports.

"Christian's not available," Pochettino told Taft. "Today was training in the morning at the training camp, and I've the feelings were good. Let's hope that, as soon as possible, he can be ready to be selected again and be a part of the team.

"Now, we need to be focused in our team, and the players are going to play. We have a very important game. Australia is going to be really tough. But, of course, a little bit sad because he wanted to stay. He wanted to participate today."

Alexi Lalas isn't sounding the alarm for the U.S. men's national team as it prepares to take on Australia without star Christian Pulisic. In fact, he believes that the USA should still get a victory on Friday.

"Christian Pulisic, I think, is well on his way to becoming the best male American soccer player in history," Lalas said on "World Cup Live." "So, it's undeniably a loss for this team to not have him on the field because of what he can do. But with or without Pulisic, this particular U.S. team should beat Australia. This is an opportunity, a strange opportunity, in the midst of a tournament, for the rest of these players to go out there and do it themselves. 

"Like you said, Clint [Dempsey], next guy up. When we talk about this team, how do we talk about this team? The talent and the depth. We've already seen the depth in this tournament. There are plenty of players that can come in, whether it's individually or collectively, who can pick up the slack, and prove to themselves almost that they can do it without Christian Pulisic because they can. They have enough talent. Dumbo, you can fly without that feather. You don't need that feather."

FOX Sports soccer analyst Zlatan Ibrahimović agreed with U.S. men's soccer team manager Mauricio Pochettino's decision to hold out star Christian Pulisic from Friday's match against Australia due to a calf injury.

"No, because if you plan to go far in the tournament, you need to use all the players — especially if you have small issues that you risk in the first game, which was the important one," Ibrahimović said. "Go get those three points and today you can play with it. But he will probably be ready for the third game and if they win today, they will have already qualified. Then, you save a player for the future of the tournament."

WHAT'S AT STAKE