The Australians were miffed that some pundits, including a few former U.S. national team players, mockingly gave them zero chance to stay on the field in the second Group D match against the Americans in Seattle on Friday.
Disregard the Aussies’ 2-0 win over favored Turkey in their first match. How could they match up against a superior U.S. squad, which opened with a 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay?
Oh, the Aussies talked about being fired up and ready to shove all those derisive comments down the collective American throats.
They shouldn’t have taken it personally because not too many months ago, several ex-USMNT players questioned if Mauricio Pochettino was the right choice to lead their team and questioned the heart and desire of a group that would eventually wear the red, white and blue into the World Cup.
Well, look at Pochettino and his Band of Brothers now. A workmanlike 2-0 victory over a physical but overmatched Australia before another raucous and adoring crowd and millions more on TV who are hopping on the bandwagon.
Pochettino gambled and won when he started Ricardo Pepi for the injured star Christian Pulisic. Pepi plays further up the field than Pulisic and provided a two-striker look with Folarin Balogun. Working with their teammates, especially Weston McKennie, the lumberjack Aussie backline couldn’t handle the early attacking prowess of the U.S.
As was the case against Paraguay, the first U.S. goal came via an own goal when Cameron Burgess knocked in a cross from Balogun intended for Pepi in the 11th minute.
Score one for Pochettino, but it was more than his lineup choices that has America getting behind this team, which has clinched advancement to the round of 32 and is on the cusp of clinching Group D and an easier path to the quarterfinals.
The players have been selfless in doing whatever it takes to win and, in the process, handling the pressure of being billed as the “Golden Generation” that will elevate the sport in this country.
McKennie was sensational in linking the backs to the midfield and defender Chris Richards provided calmness when the Aussies mounted a push.
And let’s not forget the resilience of Alex Freeman, who moments before challenging goalkeeper Patrick Beach to nod the ball across the line in the 43rd minute for the all-important insurance goal, was involved in a nasty head-on-head collision with Australia’s Paul Okon-Engstler.
His score was crucial because it became a tense second half as they protected the lead. If there’s anything to criticize about a shutout, especially in the World Cup, it’s that the U.S. had too many defensive lapses and there was a sense of unease from the hour mark to around the 80th minute, when many had to be thinking, “Man, if Australia had any quality in their attack, we’d be in trouble.”
They didn’t and the U.S. put on a clinic in stoppage time on how to finish out a match.
Yet, it was a good test for the Americans. They haven’t faced any adversity — they’ve yet to trail — and are maturing before our eyes.
When it got feisty late, the U.S. players had the right balance of pushback while knowing when to step away and play another day.
Months ago, it seemed like Pochettino’s many player changes during roster evaluation made it seem impossible for him to assemble a cohesive team in time for the World Cup.
But he was adamant in sticking to the process and repeatedly quoted a phrase from Kurt Russell’s portrayal of 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks in the movie “Miracle”: “I’m not looking for the best players; I’m looking for the right ones.”
Watching the likes of Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman and others, Pochettino has the best of both worlds.
It’s only two matches, but with advancement to the knockout stage secured, Pulisic will be given as much time as needed to recover from his calf injury and could be rested again if necessary in the final group match vs. Turkey on Thursday.
He’ll be needed eventually because sterner tests are ahead, but with the home support and confidence building match by match, the expectations for a special summer are growing.
After the match in Seattle, the fans joined in singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
If the U.S. continues their march, could Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” be next on the playlist?
–Field Level Media
