US riding high after dream World Cup start, but wary of Australia

The United States team is riding a wave of excitement after a dominant 4-1 World Cup opening victory against Paraguay. However, their focus now shifts to a critical match against Australia, who also secured an opening win. The U.S. side acknowledges the threat posed by the physically imposing and defensively solid Australian team, known for their quick counter-attacks.

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I think he will be ready for the game ... I'm just praying to god that he feels 100 per cent fit – he will be needed.

Christian Pulisic's fitness remains a concern for the U.S. The star winger trained separately this week due to a calf issue, which he aggravated during halftime of the Paraguay match. Despite this, teammate Tim Weah expressed optimism about Pulisic's availability, emphasizing his importance to the team. "I think he will be ready for the game ... I'm just praying to god that he feels 100 per cent fit – he will be needed," Weah stated.

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All the talk is just nonsense.

Some U.S. pundits have made dismissive comments about Australia, which have reportedly motivated the Australian team. U.S. players, however, are downplaying such talk. Sebastian Berhalter recalled a fiery "friendly" match last October where the U.S. coach emphasized the need to match Australia's physicality. Berhalter noted that the team has since become more aggressive, crediting coach Mauricio Pochettino for instilling a tougher mentality. "We're American, we don't take shit," Berhalter declared, echoing a similar sentiment from the Australian camp.

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Watch that match last year, you could see they were up for it. I think that's when Mauricio had that halftime rant and he said 'these guys can't kick us around'.