– Mary Waltz
Peter Oh asks.
The match progresses with Dest dazzling the audience through a deft backheel pass to McKennie.
Shortly thereafter, the camera shifts to Kasey Keller, Alex Morgan, and Jill Ellis enjoying the action from prime seats. Morgan, a frequent face in advertising campaigns, is highlighted in a humorous advertisement that pokes fun at the media’s scrutiny of her celebration against England in the World Cup.
Play is interrupted by a foul from the US during a frenzied scramble inside the box.
A late tackle from Circati connects with Tillman’s calf, earning him a yellow card and resulting in a free kick from 30 yards.
The USA earns a corner as they press towards the goal, with a wave of yellow Australian supporters in the stands. Tillman takes the corner, and although Richards rises to meet it, he fails to connect. Alex Freeman manages to secure a deep throw-in from further up the field.
The weather is perfect, hovering at a pleasant 24 degrees Celsius.
Robinson continues to pose a threat on the left flank, skillfully navigating past defenders and attempting a cross, yet it ultimately goes out of bounds.
This raises the question: can Australia exploit the situation while the USA’s left back is out of position?
I believe Australia has the potential to score today, especially with Touré looking particularly dangerous.
“Match going pretty much as anticipated, but Vellupilay is not providing an outlet and needs to work so much harder. Ditto the three central midfielders, who have to wrestle a bit of momentum back here and put their foot on the ball. Critical that we get to half time without conceding again…” – Chris Paraskevas
“Who needs Christian Pulisic when the USA have the prolific Own Goal?” – Justin Kavanagh
Australia earns a corner, sending a high ball to the towering Souttar, who redirects it. The US defense clears for another corner, but a foul is called when a player collides with Freese, who falls into his own net.
Time for a hydration break.
Australia experiences their longest possession of the match, with Leckie controlling the ball on the right. His excellent cross forces Freeman to slide in for a vital intervention, awarding Australia a corner.
A long ball is directed toward Balogun, but he struggles to control it as the alert young Australian goalkeeper Beach rushes out to collect it.
The USA applies good pressure deep in Australian territory, although Adams cannot reach the pass.
Australia counters with a long ball aimed at Touré. Matt Freese races from his goal to clear the threat, creating a tense moment as his clearance remains in play, albeit now in the opposing half.
A free kick is awarded to Australia just short of midfield, yet they lack urgency to advance. They appear to be selecting their moments to attack cautiously, which may be wise given the challenges they face when the USA exploits space.
The free kick reaches McKennie, who attempts an ambitious flick while facing away from the goal. While stylish, it may not have been the best choice.
Adams is again the victim of a harsh foul, this time from Velupillay. Pochettino’s frustration is evident, and understandably so.
McKennie pushes the ball up the wing but receives a solid hand to the face from Bos, who earns a yellow card that arguably should have been issued to Velupillay.
The USA is awarded another corner kick. A tussle breaks out between Richards and Okon-Engstler, prompting the referee’s intervention before play resumes.
McKennie rises to head the ball forcefully, but Bos blocks it, and the rebound strikes McKennie’s arm, leading to a free kick for Australia.
Australia attempts to respond quickly. Leckie makes a clever off-the-ball run across the top of the box, and when the ball reaches him, he launches a shot with the outside of his boot that narrowly misses.
Balogun is delivering an impressive World Cup showing. He outmaneuvers his defender, drives into the box, and sets it up for Pepi. Unfortunately for Burgess, in a desperate attempt to intercept, he inadvertently scores an own goal from just three yards away.
Ten minutes into the match, the USA maintains possession, but it seems Australia is content with the current state of play. As if on cue, they begin to ramp up the pressure.
A promising opportunity arises for the USA as Dest identifies a diagonal opening in the box, but his shot is blocked.
Leckie tackles late, delivering a hard kick to Adams’ leg, raising questions about why a yellow card wasn’t issued.
Australia regains possession and plays ahead to Touré, who finds himself encircled by US defenders.
The red-and-white team is showing signs of vulnerability.
McKennie sends in a cross from the right, but Balogun is penalized for a foul.
The match kicks off with a foul against Weston McKennie.
Robinson tries to create an opportunity deep on the left flank against Italiano, but his cross strikes Italiano and rebounds off his own leg, resulting in a goal kick.
US attackers press high up the field. Their efforts yield results as Australia retreats while the USA circulates the ball.
The match begins with a careless giveaway on the US backline, as Freeman’s pass evades Richards. Touré takes a shot from a wide angle, but Freese makes an easy save.
The referee is Felix Zwayer, leading a German officiating crew.
Bastian Dankert oversees the VAR operations.
In a lively pre-kickoff mailbag segment, fans share their predictions:
“My prediction is that USA score within the first 20 minutes and conduct a “lay up” – John McBride
“I think the USA media made some conclusions based on the last game that, uh, might be a little (a lot) wrong. I watched Souttar quite a bit when he was a Stoke City player and he’s not someone to take lightly.” – Joshua Reynolds
“True Blue living in Sheffield and also an Arsenal fan. Go figure. Australia are going to WIN. Then I’m off to Butlins to celebrate. Socceroos is a truly AWFUL nickname but we’re know stuck with it, only marginally better than the Matildas urghh. Cmon Australia. Win it for my friend Simon, currently residing in the stars.” – Simone Holmes
“I think we want a more topical name – “The Cagefighters” – Charles Antaki
“How about the DoodleDoos? (Following on from that universally beloved “Yankee Doodle Dandy” – Julian Scott Yeomans
Several vibrant pockets of yellow fill the stands as Australian fans show their support.
In a bizarre twist, Paris Hilton leads the USA chants before the game.
The atmosphere at Lumen Field (or, as it’s known, Seattle Stadium) is electric, even a full 30 minutes before kickoff. This excitement is to be expected as the venue is renowned for being one of the loudest in the United States. The stadium is nearly full, with numerous Australian fans prominently positioned behind the goal at the southern end. The ambiance is truly remarkable.
Apologies for not covering every detail, but please keep sending in your messages!
Any suggestions for a US nickname to rival “Although I think the nickname ‘The Yanks’ is pretty great, it’s no ‘Socceroos’. And the best I can come up with is ‘Soccer Moms’ and I’m ashamed I’m even writing that down.”?
“Soccerillos, of course, because of the armadillos.” – Joshua Reynolds
“I’m sorry to trash my country, but looking at the three host mascots, USA clearly has the worst. 1. Tiger 2. Moose 3. Eagle. As far as a good nickname, the Minutemen?” – Kirk Allbright
“Australia needs a draw from this game. We cannot lose and leave it until the last minute against Paraguay to get a point. I’m excited for this game – I think Australia can repeat their performance against Turkey barring Popovic not going back into defensive and negativity mode. Keep throwing players up on the counter and get the ball forward when we have to. No Pulisic, Irakunda and Metcalfe out could be a sign for 0-0.” – Zach Neeley
This could add some excitement the next time the USA faces England.
From an Australian viewpoint:
“Football or soccer? It is all about who you are communicating with. When I am on a Premier League MBM I use football. Mainly because the blowback is tedious. When I post on The Athletic I say soccer, once again because it is simpler. For those UK football fans for who the term soccer is an irritant you should not have invented it.” – James Pareskevas
“Are any of the US players wearing kangaroo leather boots?”
I’m often surprised at how many people criticize the USA (or Australia, or Ireland, etc.) for using the term “I’ve got tell you something, I don’t think they’ve ever been more united as a football side. If they do something in this tournament – which they won’t – if they do something in this tournament, they should make a statue of me there in Australia, because I’ve unified an entire country.” without realizing its English origins.
“You can get on the Qantas airplane and head back home,”
Australian Lineup: Tactical Decisions or Disappointments?
Reports indicate that Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has opted to bench goalscorers Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe for Australia’s crucial match against the United States. Veteran Mathew Leckie, making his debut at his fourth World Cup, along with Nishan Velupillay, have been brought into the attack for a game that could decide the group D leader. Irankunda, who shone in the 2-0 victory over Turkey with an impressive opener, and Metcalfe, who scored a brilliant goal in the second half, are positioned as potential impact substitutes.
Referring to them as “Howard to Donovan to Altidore to Dempsey to wow this is really happening DONOVAN SCORES ON THE REBOUND AHHHHHHHHH!! BAR CELEBRATIONS GO VIRAL” could be an understatement if Australia’s five-man defense can successfully contain the US attack early.
This raises questions about whether US analysts might be overly confident regarding the outcome.
Is there underlying tension between the USA and Australia? Analyst Alexander Abnos highlights some of the competitive feelings from a recent friendly:
Former players turned commentators have stoked the competitive fire, as Jack Snape reports:
“The slandering began late last year when the USA were drawn against Australia. Former professional player and current pundit Mike Grella claimed the Socceroos were a ‘lay-up’ for the hosts. Grella addressed the backlash to his comments on Wednesday: ‘I’ve got to tell you something, I don’t think they’ve ever been more united as a football side. If they achieve anything in this tournament – which they won’t – they should erect a statue of me in Australia because I’ve unified an entire country.’ The criticisms didn’t stop there. Former USA player Landon Donovan also dismissed Australia’s odds after the draw, targeting Australia’s ‘smug’ coach. ‘You can get on the Qantas airplane and head back home,’ he remarked.
Snape also points out that both countries share similarities in their soccer cultures: youth participation is strong, but achieving professional success remains a challenge.
The injury that was downplayed during the opening match against Paraguay seems to be more serious than initially believed. Throughout the week, the star of the US attack faced limitations in training, raising doubts about his availability for today’s match.
It has been confirmed that he is unavailable. Ricardo Pepi will replace him in the lineup.
Australia will employ a five-man defense, making it crucial for Jordan Bos (Feyenoord) on the left and Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK) on the right to support offensive plays. The USA lineup features two players experienced as wingbacks, with left-back Antonee ‘Jedi’ Robinson (Fulham) expected to fulfill that role, although broadcasters suggest that Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven) will play in midfield, not defense.
Australia: Beach; Bos, Burgess, Souttar, Circati, Italiano; Velupillay, Okon-Engstler, O’Neill, Leckie; Toure
USA: Freese; Robinson, Ream, Richards, Freeman; Dest, Adams, Tillman, McKennie; Pepi, Balogun
Neither of Australia’s scorers from the 2-0 win against Turkey, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, will be starting today.
The US men aim to achieve what no US men’s team has accomplished in 96 years.
Secure two consecutive World Cup victories.
Historically, the US men have followed World Cup victories with losses on two occasions. In 2002, they carried momentum from their initial win against Portugal to earn a draw against South Korea, but subsequently lost to Poland. In their notable run in 2014, they followed their victory over Ghana with a draw against Portugal, but were eliminated after losses to Germany and Belgium.
More often than not, a US men’s World Cup victory has been followed by a match that fans prefer to forget. In 1950, their famous win against England was eclipsed by a 5-2 loss to Chile. In 1994, during the last World Cup hosted by the USA, they followed their exciting win over Colombia with a loss to Romania that reminded casual US sports fans why soccer wasn’t their preference. In 2010, their thrilling win over Algeria led to another elimination at the hands of Ghana. Most recently, in 2022, the Flying Pulisics avenged a 1998 loss against Iran only to fall to the Netherlands.
Australia also enjoyed success in their 2022 World Cup campaign, winning two consecutive matches against Tunisia and Denmark to reach the knockout rounds, but they too have a chance to create history. The Socceroos have never topped their group in a World Cup. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head results, so if Australia emerges victorious today, a complex series of further results would be required (Paraguay defeating Turkey, Paraguay over Australia, and the USA winning against Turkey) to complicate the standings.
Before the 2022 Cup, Australia had only secured two World Cup victories in their history – one in 2006, along with a draw that enabled them to progress to the knockout stage, and another in 2010.
(*) – A clarification that the term “World Cup” encompasses the entire tournament, including qualification, so the results described here refer specifically to outcomes in the World Cup finals, which is the term for the current tournament’s 32-team format … soon to be 48 teams.
With Christian Pulisic sidelined, Mauricio Pochettino has opted for a dual-striker formation featuring Ricardo Pepi alongside Folarin Balogun. Pepi serves as the best hold-up forward in the pool, willing to drop into midfield to support possession plays while consistently contributing to the frontline press. He can engage in various off-ball movements with Balogun, who stretches the defense and prevents Australia from settling into a compact defensive block. Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie provide a solid midfield balance, with width coming from Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson.
The lineups have been announced, and Christian Pulisic is absent not only from the starting XI but also from the substitutes bench. Mauricio Pochettino informed the Fox pregame crew that the US star is unfit to play.
Pulisic has been dealing with a calf injury since prior to the opening game against Paraguay, which was aggravated during the first half. He left the match at halftime after contributing to a 4-1 victory.
Ricardo Pepi steps into the starting XI, which is expected to significantly alter the team’s dynamics.
We welcome you to an encounter between two nations united by the key fact that…
Both countries refer to this sport as “soccer” instead of “football.”
Indeed, most English-speaking nations commonly use the term soccer, including Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa.
Australia is distinct in that the term is part of their nickname – Socceroos. This raises an important question: Why doesn’t the US team have a catchy nickname like that?
Please share your suggestions while we await kickoff. Regardless, this match is crucial, as both teams are poised for advancement to the knockout rounds.
Beau will join us shortly. Meanwhile, let’s examine what each team must do to secure victory in this clash in Seattle:
Australia
Support Nestory Irankunda: The 20-year-old was anticipated to be a game-changing player at this World Cup, often brought in as a substitute to impact matches against weary opponents. His performance against Turkey showcased his importance to the Socceroos. While he is still mastering his position, his speed and tenacity are crucial for a team willing to relinquish possession and capitalize on counter-attacking opportunities – as evidenced by his opening goal against Turkey.
United States
Effective midfield rotations are essential: This is something any USMNT supporter would recognize, especially following last week’s stellar opener. Paraguay’s head coach Gustavo Alfaro specifically praised the starting trio of Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Malik Tillman, who he described as “floating” and integral to a “pentagon” of play. Despite Australia’s strong performance against Turkey, they struggled to control the tempo, conceding over 70% of possession and being outmaneuvered in the midfield. For the US to maintain a similar level of possession, their midfield must continue to rotate effectively, pulling the Socceroos’ two defensive lines out of position and creating gaps in their previously solid defense.
