USA to face Australia in FIFA World Cup due to Pulisic injury
Sports analyst Dan Dakich previews the USA vs Australia FIFA World Cup match and addresses concerns over star Christian Pulisic’s calf injury. Dakich highlights Australia’s strong squad, noting their improved performance since a coaching change makes them a dangerous opponent. He emphasizes the importance of the US team’s preparedness for this critical knockout stage game and also touches on the US Open golf tournament.
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Happy Juneteenth to everyone out there. I’m sure these words will annoy a few readers, but to be honest, I take any federal holiday as it means we get some time to enjoy whatever we want. I know not all companies observe, but who doesn’t want a day off in the middle of June? Today is even a bit more special because we also get a World Cup match in the USA.
My first ever soccer article was about the USA World Cup team, and not only did the team win, but we won. I was wrong about the final score, but I was right about Team USA winning. They were able to take down Paraguay. What I think was most enjoyable about the game – aside from the win – was that the crowd was really into the game. I know it’s easy when goals are scored and the team wins, but America is not a soccer country. So it was fun to see the crowd go crazy and give the team more energy.
United States midfielder Christian Pulisic approaches the box during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. (Europa Press Sports/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Now they have a test against Team Australia. This should be a win for Team USA if we are to base it on a recent match they have had in an international friendly competition. They played back in October so the teams are pretty much the same. However, these games are not always predictable. To keep the momentum going, Team USA will need to remain aggressive in its offense. If they can strategically push the ball downfield, they should get a few good looks at a beatable goalie.
Team Australia also had a great result in their first match, after winning the first competition against Turkey. I don’t hate the Turkish team. They also have some decent talent. Some matches in the WC can just be rejected because there is a huge mismatch. That is not the case here. Australia were methodical in their attack and won the match 2-0.
PATRIOTISM IS GREAT, BUT MAKING MONEY IS BETTER: ‘FADE THE PUBLIC’ IN TEAM USA VS AUSTRALIA IN 2026 WORLD CUP
Team USA celebrates a goal against Paraguay in a 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. (Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Photos)
If you look at the stats from their first match, there is a big argument that Australia were lucky to win the game. They had half of the shots on goal by Turkey and they had the ball in just 28% of the time. So they were able to make the most of their opportunity. They had 12 fouls compared to just four on Turkey. I suppose the Aussie defense should be given some credit considering they were able to stop all eight shots on goal and if their opposition had the ball that often it means they had to consistently stop the pressure.
If Australia can slow down the game against America, they might have another chance. I don’t think it’s the most impressive team in the tournament, but they don’t seem to make many mistakes. Will the Kangaroo Clan be able to capitalize on America’s mistakes today?
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USMNT fans across the country brought the patriotism to the team’s World Cup opener. (Photo by Jose Hernandez/Anadolu via Getty Images)
It is possible. The USA got an own goal to start the scoring, then got two more in the first half. They created some great opportunities but missed some of those chances. Their defense only faced one real attack and their goalkeeper stopped the ball. Australia need to be more aggressive than they were in the first game, but I don’t think that’s their nature. I expect Team USA to win, but I think it will be a lower scoring game. Give me under 2.5.
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