Ref Down! Man In The Middle Felix Zwayer Cramps Up During USA's Win Over Australia

Published 20 June 2026 · us

Ref Down! Man In The Middle Felix Zwayer Cramps Up During USA's Win Over Australia Published By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 12:59 IST Referee

Ref Down! Man In The Middle Felix Zwayer Cramps Up During USA's Win Over Australia Published By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 12:59 IST Referee Zwayer pulled up with a cramp towards the end of the game and had to be aided by the fourth official and Florian Balogun before seeing out the game. Referee Felix Zwayer, of Germany, gets medical advice during the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Australia in Seattle, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The United States maintained their flawless start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Australia in a Group D clash at Seattle Stadium on Saturday. Mauricio Pochettino’s side now have two wins from two matches and remain in a strong position in the group standings.

The Americans secured the win through an own goal by Cameron Burgess and a second-half strike from Alex Freeman. Referee Felix Zwayer, who was officiating the game, pulled up with a cramp towards the end of the game and had to be aided by the fourth official and Florian Balogun before seeing out the game. The ref is cramping during the USA v Australia match and the Australian player is stretching out the ref. First time I’ve seen this. 🧐🧐🧐 pic.twitter.com/vrdqcJ72O0— PropertyTales with Barrett Freeman (@barrettfreeman1) June 19, 2026 The breakthrough arrived early when the hosts exploited space down the left flank and delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area. As the ball was intended for a waiting attacker, Burgess intervened but inadvertently diverted it into his own net, giving the United States the lead.

The home side later doubled their advantage through Freeman. An initial effort prompted the Australian goalkeeper to dive to his right, but the ball took a deflection off a defender and looped into Freeman’s path. With the goalkeeper out of position, the forward headed into the net. Although the assistant referee initially ruled the goal out, a VAR review overturned the decision and confirmed the strike. Having begun their campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, the United States carried that momentum into their second outing. The result left them top of Group D after two rounds of matches at the expanded 48-team World Cup being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: United States of America (USA) First Published: June 20, 2026, 04:47 IST News sports football Ref Down! Man In The Middle Felix Zwayer Cramps Up During USA's Win Over Australia Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...