SEATTLE – Despite the magnitude of the US National Team’s victory in the opening match of the World Cup, it presented only an opportunity – a golden opportunity to become soccer’s golden generation.
Now they have to tap and earn money.
A win on Friday over Australia — a win they may have to pull off with Christian Pulisic sidelined — would secure a spot in knockout play and the United States would lead the group in their final group match with Türkiye. Winning the group would provide an easier path to a deep World Cup run that could transform the sport in this country.
“We are starting to see in the United States… the kind of support and fandom that we see in Europe,” US coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “The United States is beginning to realize the importance of soccer and its power over society. We are beginning to see in America what we see as a society in Spain, Argentina, and Brazil. But it is still very young here in the United States. Think about the possibility of a kid watching the World Cup saying he wants to play soccer, and now in a culture that embraces that.”
“It’s an important stepping stone for people who want this sport to grow. Our soccer players on the U.S. Team are creating a role for that now, and they are essential. … They have 26 champions on the U.S. Team that will impact young people here in the United States with their performance in the World Cup and the future of soccer here. We can change the future of this sport. You saw a few days ago how strong the fan base is in basketball in the NBA Finals with the Knicks. We can do the same thing with soccer. We have to keep playing.” “Well, it brought attention to the sport.”
Pochettino – an Argentine who answers in Spanish – is set to bring the United States to new levels. He watched two million people celebrate the Knicks on Thursday and is keenly aware of how his team captivated fans and raised the bar.
Now they have to clear the new one.
“It depends on how far we have come,” said full-back Serginio Dest. “If we keep playing like this [we did] Against Paraguay, it can.
“We’re all still hungry. It’s just the beginning. We had a great game against Paraguay, but we want more. …So, we’re all hungry to show what we have to all the competitors in the group and the world. That’s what we’ll do.” [Friday]”.
The United States enters the confrontation scheduled for Friday at Lumen Field with three points in Group D, equal in points with Australia, but ahead on goal difference. With the first head-to-head tiebreaker, a win for the USA would secure the group, and even a draw would keep them safely at the top of the standings entering the third match against Türkiye.
The United States’ 4-1 win over Paraguay last week was described by many as among the most impressive American performances in memory. This win raised the bar, providing an opportunity to transform fans and inspire the next generation.
But only if they execute, which means a win on Friday.
“Yes, we are all aware of that,” said Christian Roldan. “We have social media, we constantly turn on the TV, we watch other matches, and it is normal for them to talk on Fox Sports about the United States.” “But we are down. We realize it was just one game. What excites me is that the whole nation is behind us. They enjoyed watching us play.
“What we want to do is inspire and motivate the next generation. With performances like Paraguay, we will have rising stars. But we have to build on that. And that is the truth. We can’t just talk about it, we have to show up for Australia.”
This will not be easy against the strong Australian team, which beat Türkiye 2-0. They can defend and counter mercilessly with Watford’s speedy winger Nestor Irankunda.
The United States achieved a physical 2-1 victory over Australia on October 14, which led to Pulisic’s exit from the match. Now he is getting injured again day after day due to an injury to his left calf.
“He is improving,” Pochettino said. “It’s much better than Friday. We’ll see. We’ll see.”
“At the moment, we believe that if he is not available [Friday]He will be available for the next match. “He’s putting in a lot of effort trying to get ready.”