It's a World Cup rematch that promises to be every bit as fierce as their first encounter last October. That friendly match between the United States and Australia was an absolute barnburner, with both teams giving it everything they had in one of those classic games where you can't help but think 'this is what football's all about!' The US men's national team trailed early, but then came roaring back to level the scores before ultimately securing a vital win that got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start. And at the heart of it all was Mauricio Pochettino's impassioned half-time rallying cry – the Argentinian gaffer's words sparked his side into life and they never looked back.
The game itself was an absolute cracker, with Jordan Bos putting Australia ahead in a physical encounter that saw Haji Wright equalise for the US. But it was Pochettino who really lit the blue touchpaper when he stormed out of the dugout at half-time, his team's sluggish response to Australia's aggressive approach clearly getting under his skin. As revealed in a recent docuseries, his words had a profound impact on his players – even those warming up to come on as substitutes were caught up in the intensity.
The second-half performance that followed was nothing short of breathtaking, with the US matching Australia's ferocity and ultimately running out winners in what proved to be a defining moment for their World Cup campaign. And Sebastian Berhalter summed it up perfectly: "Pochettino's got this Argentinian fire in his belly, mate – he believes in our team, and we responded to that." Eight months on from that thrilling encounter, these two nations are set to meet again in the biggest of stages in Seattle. While a World Cup match is a different beast altogether, you can bet your bottom dollar that those underlying tensions and lessons learned will still be very much alive.
The US starting line-up may change significantly from that day, with only Weston McKennie, Chris Richards, and Matt Freese having featured in both the friendly and their World Cup opener against Paraguay. But Australia's got a few tricks up its sleeve too – Harry Souttar's captaincy and goal-scoring form will be a major concern for Gregg Berhalter's men.
And make no mistake, this one's going to be a real test of endurance for the US. Nestory Irankunda's pace is causing all sorts of problems for opposition defences, while Australia's ability to nullify their opponents' attacks – as seen against Turkey where they held just 30% possession but still looked a threat – will require some serious planning from the US camp.
US players are already singing the praises of their Aussie opponents, with Antonee Robinson describing them as "fine-tuned" and defensively solid. Tyler Adams went even further, labelling Australia one of the most difficult games they'll play at this World Cup – and that's saying something!