Australia star and coaches attack referee after 2-0 World Cup loss to United States

A star player from the Australian World Cup team spoke out against referee Felix Zwayer after the 2-0 loss to the United States on Friday, while the head coach and an assistant coach have now also complained about the referee.

Striker Nestory Irankunda said the referee had “a bad smell.”

“If you look at how the referee was today, [there’s] I can’t say much about it,” Irankunda told reporters after the match.

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

“The referee was having a bad time today, but I mean it is what it is,” he said. “He was giving all the calls to the United States. I understand that, but at the same time, we know there are two teams on the field, so you have to give the calls both ways and he didn’t do that today.”

Irankunda’s complaint came shortly after Australian coach Tony Popovic also criticized Zwayer.

“To be honest, I thought the referee made too many fouls,” Popovic told reporters after the match. “Sometimes you didn’t have to do much to earn a foul, and other times you had to do quite a bit to earn one.

“Today I wouldn’t say it was the best day for the referee. We certainly felt like we were Australia with the referees today.”

One of the most controversial moments of the game came when the The Americans seemed to score his second goal. The play was initially called back for offside, but after a VAR review, the referees determined the goal was valid and left it at that.

The United States found the back of the net at the end of the 43rd minute after a free kick was stopped, and then Alex Freeman, the son of former NFL player Antonio Freeman, headed a ball. The score was immediately protested by the Australians, who considered that their goalkeeper had been impeded or was offside. Following a VAR review, the decision was upheld and the goal was awarded.

Popovic questioned the decision to let the score count after the game.

THE NEW EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING THE FOX ONE WORLD CUP

Australia head coach Tony Popovic reacts during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match between the United States and Australia at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington on June 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/FIFA/Getty Images)

“I’m not sure about that. We’re sorry, but unfortunately it didn’t go the way we wanted,” Popovic said.

Meanwhile, Australia assistant coach Paul Okon argued that his goalkeeper Patrick Beach was impeded during the play.

“From what we understood, it probably impeded Beachy,” Okon said at halftime, according to FOX Sports. “But of course the VAR decided otherwise.”

Popovic was seen getting into a heated exchange with the match officials after the game ended.

The United States scored its first own goal from Australian Cameron Burgess in the 11th minute. It was the second consecutive match in which the United States scored first with an early own goal.

But despite complaints about the referee, Popovic gave credit to the Americans and admitted his players looked “slow” on Friday.

Alex Freeman of the United States heads the ball past Australian goalkeeper Patrick Beach during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Seattle on June 19, 2026. (Maddy Grassy/AP Photo)

“I don’t know if it’s the occasion, but we seemed slow, with heavy legs… They won every duel, they won every second ball and when you do that, it’s very difficult to gain momentum. And then we conceded two soft goals,” he said.

“When you think, you know, this noise here – host nation “I think the players show how good they are in the second half, but obviously at this level you can’t give away so much in the first.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP

Zwayer also suffered a cramp toward the end of the United States’ victory. The 45-year-old German official needed help from both American Folarin Balogun and Australian Aiden O’Neill, who stretched his left leg after Zwayer fell to the grass.

With his 2-0 recordThe United States is in first place with six points, while Australia remains with three and in second place.