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Following a dream opening to its 2026 World Cup campaign, the U.S. men's national team returns to the pitch on Friday as Mauricio Pochettino's squad faces Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Despite a series of disappointing results in the lead-up to this summer's marquee tournament, the Stars and Stripes delivered a stunning performance against Paraguay in their opening fixture last Friday. The host nation claimed a 4–1 triumph, fueled by a Folarin Balogun brace and a Gio Reyna trivela strike, before a packed home crowd at SoFi Stadium.
Eager to maintain their momentum, the USMNT must now contend with a dangerous Australia side. The Socceroos are riding high after a convincing 2–0 victory over Türkiye and will carry plenty of confidence, despite the U.S. having beaten them back in October.
It's difficult to envision Pochettino altering his starting lineup after last week's dominant display, though he may be forced to do so if Christian Pulisic is sidelined with the calf problem he picked up against Paraguay.
Here's how the Stars and Stripes could line up for the crucial Group D clash.
USMNT Predicted XI vs. Australia
Pick your USMNT XI!
GK: Matt Freese—Freese is undoubtedly Pochettino's first-choice keeper this summer, though the goalkeeper has gone seven consecutive USMNT starts without recording a clean sheet.
RB: Alex Freeman—Freeman was the quiet standout of last Friday's win. The 21-year-old surged down the right flank and registered the assist on Reyna's spectacular goal.
CB: Chris Richards—Pochettino had been anxious about Richards's fitness after the defender tore two ligaments in his ankle in May, but those concerns proved unfounded. Richards played the full 90 minutes against Paraguay and is set to do the same a week later as the top defender in red, white and blue.
CB: Tim Ream—The veteran USMNT captain will need to rely on Richards to neutralize an Australia attack that has been held scoreless just once in its last five outings.
LB: Antonee Robinson—Robinson is in a league of his own. The Fulham fullback is the clear-cut starter on the left side and will look to combine with Pulisic once more to conjure some more magic on the world stage.
CM: Tyler Adams—Adams is back marshaling the midfield, where he will deploy his defensive instincts to disrupt Australia's attacks, particularly on the counter.
CM: Malik Tillman—What a World Cup debut it was for Tillman. The midfielder provided the assist for Balogun's second goal and was central to everything the Stars and Stripes did. The only thing absent from his display was a goal of his own.
RW: Sergiño Dest—Whether deployed as a winger, a right wing-back or a right back, Dest is more than capable of balancing his defensive responsibilities with his forward runs to stretch the opposition.
AM: Weston McKennie—McKennie is among the most versatile players around, capable of operating in virtually any position on the field. The 27-year-old had little difficulty generating chances against Paraguay, but he will be keen to deliver a sharper passing display this time out.
LW: Christian Pulisic—All attention is on Pulisic. The AC Milan star, who contributed an assist on Friday, was substituted at halftime, but indications suggest he is fit to start after what appeared to be merely an injury scare.
ST: Folarin Balogun—Coming off a brace in his last appearance, Balogun will be brimming with confidence as he leads the attack against Australia. The striker now boasts 11 goals in just 28 appearances for the USMNT.