USA vs Australia
Mauricio Pochettino’s USA are in action again on Friday at Lumen Field in Seattle when their World Cup 2026 match will pack in the fans for a fascinating Group D clash.
USA and Australia both won their openers. The Stars and Stripes whacked Paraguay 4-1, while the Socceroos produced a hugely impressive 2-0 win over a dangerous Turkey side, and they are both within touching distance of a Round of 32 place.
Australia coach Tony Popovic was proud of his young team’s grit and determination in holding off the attack-minded Turks, and his team will be prepared for another test on Friday.
We are five days in, and the World Cup is certainly up and running now. Make no mistake. I’ve only just recovered from Cape Verde’s magnificent performance against Spain, earning a 0-0 draw, and then Belgium drew with Egypt, while Uruguay were held by Saudi Arabia.
These early games have been tricky to predict, but I’m pretty sure the Stars and Stripes and the Socceroos will put on a tasty show.
Talking points
Balogun shoots straight for USA
Pochettino’s men could hardly have done better in their opening game, a sticky test against a solid defensive team, but they put in a great shift to record their joint-best ever victory in the World Cup finals.
And the man of the match was former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who scored a superb double. Now at AS Monaco, the 24-year-old forward swept home the opener on the half hour, connecting beautifully with a cutback from the excellent Christian Pulisic. And Balogun’s second was a classic, as he left Omar Alderete for dust before lifting a delightful chip over the keeper and into the top corner of the net.
The USA were already one up before Balogun got in on the act when a dangerous ball from Pulisic was turned into his own net by Damian Bobadilla. The USA took their foot off the gas after the break, and Mauricio pulled a goal back for Paraguay before Gio Reyna made it 4-1 with a confident finish at the death.
This was a near-perfect performance from the Stars and Stripes. With Bayer Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman busy in midfield and wing-backs Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson raiding down the flanks, there are goals aplenty in this band of brothers.
Socceroos case for the defence
Ranked 22nd in the world by FIFA and just seven places below the USA in 15th, Australia are a force to be reckoned with, and in a win over Turkey, Popovic’s young team showed incredible defensive resilience and a sharp attacking edge. The manager made a brave call, bringing in Melbourne City’s 22-year-old keeper Patrick Beach ahead of the experienced Matt Ryan, and the young star did him proud, repelling everything Turkey could throw at him.
The Aussies were underdogs, facing a side with the scintillating talents of Hakan Calhanoglu, Kenan Yildiz, and Arda Guler. Beach made eight saves, as Turkey rained down 30 shots on the Australian defence. The shots that weren’t saved or flew wide were blocked by a brave defensive group putting their bodies on the line, as the Socceroos made an incredible 55 clearances during the game.
And Popovic’s men got their victory when 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda scored in the 27th minute before midfielder Connor Metcalfe scored with a shot he arrowed from distance into the bottom corner.
The World Cup 2026 highlights may well see the Stars and Stripes on the attack, but Popovic can rely on his young team to stand firm.
History
This is the 12th World Cup for the Stars and Stripes, with their best ever showing being a semi-final place way back in 1930. Meanwhile, the Socceroos are at their seventh finals, reaching the knockout phase in both 2006 and 2022.
The Stars and Stripes have won two of their three meetings with the Socceroos, winning a friendly last year by the odd goal in three. Australia won 1-0 when they met in 2017, while USA won the first-ever encounter, back in 2010, by a 3-1 scoreline.
Australia have been in better form this year with three wins, one draw, and one defeat while the USA have won two and lost three of its last five. So let’s take a look at the World Cup 2026 betting odds and make a call.
Betting tip
The USA are strong favourites to win this clash at SBOTOP odds of 1.67, while Australia are at 5.00 with the draw at 3.95. This promises to be a compelling clash, and Australia will be tested to the full, but I think they will frustrate the Stars and Stripes in front of another packed crowd.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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