Australia vs USA World Cup 2026: Why The Socceroos Can Crash The Hosts' Party
 |
| Australia's steeliness can edge USA in Seattle World Cup clash |
Australia aim to spoil the USA home World Cup. Socceroos show grit vs Mexico, with O'Neill backing steeliness to reach knockouts in Group D.
Group D showdown, Australia determined to derail USA home World Cup dream...
Growing soccer’s profile in the US depends a lot on how the national team performs at the World Cup. But Australia in Group D are determined to disrupt the co-hosts’ campaign.
“Obviously, I think it's amazing that the World Cup is in the US, it's growing. I can see that first hand, and I'm involved in that.
“I think it's really exciting... We'll come first and they can come second!”
Turkey and Paraguay round out the group, making it one of the most balanced groups in the tournament.
The USA are tipped to advance, while Australia tend to slip under the radar. The Socceroos are known more for other sports, even though they qualify for every World Cup.
O’Neill says Australia’s trademark toughness could be the difference. That grit, common across Aussie sport, might help them edge out strong teams and reach the knockout stage.
“I think you can see we will give absolutely everything to get that result, and I think that could be the difference,” he said.
“There's this fight and grit. It's something that we have great pride in, having that grit and that determination.”
Australia showed real defensive grit and commitment in their 1-0 defeat to Mexico on Saturday. Even after going down early, the Socceroos created the better chances.
The match was played at the Rose Bowl outside Los Angeles, just 150 miles from the Mexico border. Nearly 80,000 fans packed the stadium and most of them were backing El Tri.
“We're obviously going to face that type of atmosphere in the second game against the States, home-crowd advantage,” said defender Harry Souttar, whose side play the United States in Seattle on June 19.
“I love it. I'll be excited by it,” said goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.
“Perhaps it's very easy for people to think that you go out there feeling nervous in all that, but I think you've got to try and flip that and turn it into excitement,” Australia's captain said.
The veteran goalkeeper, who starred at Brighton and Hove Albion and had a short loan spell at Arsenal, said a hostile home crowd at this stage of his career is just “white noise.”
The Mexico-supporting crowd in California on Saturday was furious when a second goal for El Tri was ruled out. The referee disallowed it after deciding the free kick was taken too quickly.
Australia dominated the second half though, and coach Tony Popovic said that performance “will give us a lot of confidence that we can play a very good nation, fantastic team, well coached, big crowd.”
Will that experience of digging in under pressure give Australia an advantage in Seattle when they face the hosts?
“I'm not sure if they'll be as loud as these guys, but we'll wait and see,” said O'Neill.
No comments:
Leave comment here