The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) is set to face Australia in a World Cup Group D match in Seattle. The two teams have a history of physical play, with their last match in October getting heated.
Previous Match
In their previous match, the USMNT won 2-1, but the game was marked by physicality, with American defender Chris Richards saying the Australians were ‘lucky it was a friendly’.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino laid into his players at halftime, telling them ‘these guys can’t kick us around.’ The team has taken this mindset to heart, with midfielder Sebastian Berhalter saying ‘we’re American and we don’t take sh*t.’
Upcoming Match
The upcoming match is expected to be just as physical, with both teams looking to win and advance in the tournament. The USMNT will be without captain Christian Pulisic, who is nursing a calf injury.
Australia defender Alessandro Circati said his team is ‘just out there to play a game of football, to win and to do our best.’ American forward Tim Weah said the Australian team is ‘young, hungry, and physical,’ and that the USMNT respects them as an opponent.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
