The United States vs Australia is developing into a rivalry after both teams traded barbs ahead of their matchday 2 World Cup clash. We take a look at the matchup that could decide the winner of Group D on Friday, including predicted lineups and team news.
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United States vs Australia
Date: Friday, June 19th, 2026
Venue: Lumen Field in Seattle
Kick Off: 15:00 in USA East Coast Time
Referee: Felix Zwayer
Current Odds: United States 1.54, Draw 4.60, Australia 5.75
United States Team News
The health of Christian Pulisic has Team USA supporters on edge ahead of Friday. Manager Mauricio Pochettino stated he would consult with the medical team before deciding whether to start the famous US #10. However he did imply Pulisic is improving with his calf injury. Per ESPN “If Pulisic can’t go, Pochettino will likely select his replacement from a group that includes Brenden Aaronson, Giovanni Reyna, Timothy Weah and Alejandro Zendejas.” Reyna scored a goal as a substitute against Paraguay, while Weah brings experience, and Zendejas was a late addition to the squad.
If Pulisic can play, there’s unlikely to be other changes to a USA squad that announced itself on the World Cup stage with a thumping win over Paraguay. Pochettino’s men played the type of football he drilled into prime Tottenham Hotspur, and are looking to continue to inspire and play freely in the second game.
Australia Team News
The tone from Australia ahead of matchday 2 was about earning respect, Australia scored an impressive upset win over Turkiye 2-0, that put them on the cusp of qualification for the knockout phase. Manager Tony Popovic stated that his squad is fit and there are unlikely to be changes to the matchday 2 lineup. Look for Australia to setup defensively and look to hit the United States on the counterattack, as we saw on matchday 1 against Turkiye.
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United States Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
GK: Matt Freese
Defenders: Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, Antonee Robinson
Midfield: Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman
Forwards: Timothy Weah, Folarin Balogun
Australia Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1)
GK: Patrick Beach
Defenders: Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar, Callum Burgess
Midfield: Jacob Italiano, Aiden O’Neill, Paul Okon-Engstler, Jordan Bos
Forwards: Connor Metcalfe, Nestory Irankunda, Mohamed Touré
Main Photo Credit: Smartframe Images
