'Nobody's Place Is Guaranteed' as USA Preps for World Cup Tuneup vs. Australia

COMMERCE CITY, Colo.— By some estimates, last week’s 1-1 tie with Ecuador was the best performance — if not result — that the U.S. men’s national team has had since Mauricio Pochettino took over as coach just over a year ago.

Whether that’s true or not doesn’t matter. Because when it comes to these two-match tuneups for next year’s FIFA World Cup on home soil — there are only five friendly matches remaining for the USMNT before Pochettn names his 26-player roster, and just seven before the Americans open the tournament June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against an opponent to be determined at December’s draw — the second match is the one that counts.

Take last month. A dispiriting 2-0 defeat to South Korea that wasn't as close as that score would suggest beat Japan convincingly just three days later, allowing the Americans to finish the September international window on a high.

Now they have another chance to return to their club teams feeling good. That means quickly forgetting all about Friday’s draw in Austin, Texas and focusing completely on Australia, the nails-tough World Cup-bound foe they’ll meet here on Tuesday.

"Tomorrow is going to be a different game," Pochettino said on Monday during his pregame press conference at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. "Australia is a team [that’s] very aggressive."

The Socceroos have quality, too. While Australia is ranked 25th to the U.S.’s 16,  the Aussies toppled a Canada squad that the U.S. hasn’t beaten in three consecutive home games in Montreal last Friday. No, their players aren’t employed by Paris Saint-Germain or AC Milan like the Ecuadorians'. But they play hard, and they play together.   

"We need to respect them," Pochettino said. "They're going to be another good test, like Ecuador, for us."

The conditions will pose another challenge for the hosts. DSG Park sits a mile above sea level. The temperature is significantly colder than it was last week in Austin, Texas. And Pochettino also has to keep the big picture in mind; star left back Antonee "Jedi" Robinson, U.S. Soccer’s Male Athlete of 2024 Award winner who hasn’t represented his country at all this calendar year because of injury, will sit out a second straight October game, the coach revealed on Monday.

Others might simply be rested as the Argentine former PSG and Chelsea manager doles out opportunities to other World Cup roster hopefuls. Christian Pulisic, who was limited to a late cameo off the bench versus Ecuador because of a swollen ankle, could also feature from the start. 

Whoever plays surely won't take the chance for granted. Not now, at least. Not anymore. 

"The most important thing in the national team is to have competition," said Cristian Roldan, a 2022 World Cup veteran who Poch summoned for the first time last month. "That's what we all want to strive for, because now you have a bigger player pool to choose from."

"He's he's created an environment so quickly that doesn't create certainty for anyone," striker Folarin Balogun, who’s been the best U.S. player for three games running, said of Pochettino. 

"Nobody's place is guaranteed — he’s created that feeling throughout the team," Balogun added.  "That's what you get when you have a top European coach. He's ruthless in how he goes about things. And he wants to win."

Starting on Tuesday, ideally. The U.S. has emerged victorious in just one of its last four games dating to July’s Gold Cup final. Another win could do wonders for the USMNT's collective belief. 

If there’s uncertainty all over the field, though, there’s now a bit less up front. Balogun, given his from, seems sure to start again in greater Denver.

"Flo has everything," Roldan said. "He can run in behind, he can play back-to-goal. He has the ability to take guys on one 1v1, with link of play, with his movement, with his individuality. He can be the difference. And when we have guys like Christian ballistic, like Malik Tillman, they make each other better."

For others, Tuesday's contest could be the final audition for the World Cup.

"When you come into the national team, you’ve got to do what you can for the nation," reserve winger Brenden Aaronson said, "It’s about rolling up the sleeves and doing the best you can in any situation. And then when you get your chance, you know you have to take it."

How the Americans will line up is another open question. Pochettino has started a three-man back line in each of the USMNT’s last two outings. Yet he suggested that things could change again, especially with the Aussies playing style more entrenched. 

"We need to build something, but they are more solid in their ideas," Pochettino said of Australia. "I don't believe that they are going to change the way that they are going to play. They seem to keep the same shape and the way they are playing [over] the last year.

"We want to progress," he added. "We want to have this flexibility, with different players and sometimes different shape or dynamics on the field, to provide the team better quality [opposition].

"I’m happy to face a team like that."

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
 

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