USA surge into World Cup knockout stage after dominant victory over Socceroos

Soccer won. That much could have been predicted before a temperate and bright Friday afternoon in the Pacific north-west, in a rare match between two sides that can agree on that terminology.

The manner of play, too, had been predicted by the players and coaches of both teams: a tight, competitive match of football (or whatever you want to call it), with a 2-0 win for the United States delighting the vast majority of the 66,925-strong sellout crowd and securing the host nation’s place in the World Cup knockout round.