SEATTLE– The Nation has reached a fever pitch over the World Cup. Even without Superstar Christian Pulsic, the USMNT blanked Australia, 2-0 at Seattle Stadium on Friday, June 19.

Paraguay defeated Turkey, 1-0 late Friday night in gorgeous San Francisco. This means the United States has clinched  Group D.

Here are some of the perks the United States has earned by winning Group D. As a group winner, the U.S. draws a more favorable path in the knockout phase. They will face a third-place team from Groups B, E, F, I, or J.

Even more important, finishing first allows the team to play their upcoming Round of 32 match on the West Coast, keeping the squad in their California training base and avoiding cross-country travel for the time being

Not only did the United States clinch a spot in The Knockout stage, it is their second consecutive World Cup victory, a feat which hasn’t occurred since 1930.

The U.S. scored on an Australian own goal and on a header from Alex Freeman, then held on to shut out Australia, even as the game got chippy late.

A sun-splashed afternoon became another American soccer celebration after the U.S. toppled Australia. The squad has certainly grown and matured over the last couple of years, due in large part to United States Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino.

He has transformed a passive, indecisive team with no direction into a dominant. swarming aggressive squad with dreams of a World Cup.

“I think we need to keep believing and approach every single day (like) we were approaching from day one, knowing that we need to work really hard but at the same time enjoying our time together, building our journey every day until the next game,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said

Fans were decked out in red, white and blue as the pride and patriotism of the fans resonated within the stadium, and across the Nation.

It’s hard to believe that this is only their second game, people were crying in the stands, belting out John Denver’s, “Take Me Home Country Roads.”

One final group stage matchup against Turkey next Thursday. After that, we enter the group of 32.