It is the showdown to determine the world’s best “soccer”-playing nation: the much-anticipated Group D clash between two countries in which football has more than one meaning.
Neither will be distracted by nomenclature, however, when the United States run out against Australia in Seattle on Friday in a contest set to captivate both sides of the Pacific.
The hosts are ranked higher than the Australians and have an internationally renowned manager. They have greater depth of talent and will enjoy home support. The Socceroos entered the tournament widely tipped to finish bottom of the group stage, but their shock 2-0 victory over Turkey has flipped expectations and made this a showdown for Group D’s winner.
It goes without saying now, but for the USMNT this fixture is no “layup”, as one American television pundit had put it, turning to a basketball analogy. Nor is it a penalty kick, a tap-in or a simple finish. The task ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s side is more like a corner kick. Yes, the situation is looking promising – any side would prefer to have a corner than defend one. Just don’t sleep on the counterattack.
One need only look back to last October and see a recipe for a Socceroos victory. In a friendly between the sides in Colorado, Australian left wing-back Jordan Bos scored the opener out of nothing. A throw-in led to one bobble then two amid uncertain defending before Bos slotted home to stun the home fans. It was the visitors’ only shot on goal in the first half in a performance founded on their now-customary conservative play.
Bos looms as the main threat for the Socceroos at this World Cup. The 23-year-old is in the conversation as the best left-back in the Dutch Eredivisie, where he helped Feyenoord to second place behind PSV. With a similar posture to Gareth Bale, he is well suited to the 3-4-2-1 system preferred by Australian coach Tony Popovic.
The setup is founded on defensive organization, with three central defenders and two holding midfielders. Bos, on the left sideline, is given license to attack past Australia’s inverted wingers. His deep starting position and pace will be a key counterattacking outlet, and his jink against Turkey that left Kerem Aktürkoğlu sliding on the Vancouver turf perfectly illustrated his confidence.
In USMNT right-wing-back Sergiño Dest, however, the Americans have a man well-placed to curb Bos’s threat. Dest’s PSV beat Bos’s Feyenoord twice last season on the way to the Eredivisie title, and the American knows Bos’s tendencies as well as anyone. As if to make the point, Dest was injured for the October friendly where Bos ran rampant.
The USMNT recovered in that match to win 2-1, thanks to two goals from Haji Wright. The first came from a neat through-ball by Cristian Roldan, who pierced the Socceroos’ mid-to-low block to find Wright. For the second, a quick free-kick to Wright in behind caught out Australian defender Cam Burgess. Australia will be better prepared for both of these situations, and likely to be far less generous in Seattle.
In the Colorado friendly, as dominant as the USMNT may have been – the home side enjoyed almost two-thirds of possession – the result was uncertain to the end. Australian forward Nestory Irankunda came close to equalizing in the 89th minute. He outmuscled Miles Robinson, leaving the defender on the turf, produced two stepovers in the area then hammered a low shot that was well saved by Matt Freese.
Irakunda had a promising if uneven campaign for Watford in the Championship, scoring four goals. In a friendly for Australia against Curaçao in March, he scored two in just 23 minutes. A confidence player, one of droughts and storms, the 20-year-old showed his threat against Turkey by scoring the opener – a blink-and-you-missed-it counterattack made possible by his pace.
That unpredictability and power of the unknown may be Australia’s biggest weapon. Mo Touré, 22, is set to lead the line, and the incisive striker is only just finding his potential. He starred for Norwich after a January move, with nine goals in 11 matches in the Championship.
If the recent emergence of Touré and his close friend Irankunda hasn’t made life hard for USMNT staff trying to prepare for the Socceroos, two last-minute selection surprises surely have. The Socceroos called in two forwards just before the tournament who may yet become X-factors even if they are to demonstrate their potential in yellow.
Cristian Volpato is a left-footed right winger who plays for Sassuolo in Serie A. The former Italy youth international was born and grew up in Australia, and changed his allegiance days before the squad deadline last month. He has only played one half for Australia – in the warm-up match against Switzerland – but is known for his ball control and delivery.
Tete Yengi is a striker who stands 6ft 6in, and has had a promising year for Machida Zelvia in Japan. He scored on his debut against Switzerland and played the last 20 minutes against Turkey.
Alongside Yengi, Australia’s towering captain Harry Souttar and perhaps back-up Lucas Herrington – the 18-year-old Colorado Rapids player who has only arrived on the national scene this year – will pose a threat at set pieces. Aside from Chris Richards, central defense and goalkeeper are positions of weakness for the Americans, a fact that won’t have been missed by Popovic, himself a former Socceroos center-back.
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