‘We need to play on the edge:’ Pochettino warns as USMNT prepares for fiery Australia showdown

The U.S. Men's National Team is preparing for a highly anticipated clash against Australia at Seattle's Lumen Field, with midfielder Cristian Roldan predicting an electrifying atmosphere. Having played for the Seattle Sounders since 2015, Roldan is intimately familiar with the stadium's capacity for noise, a factor he believes will significantly energize the American squad. The match follows the USMNT's convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their World Cup opener in Southern California. The Americans want to reward their supporters and justify the wave of momentum that is building around the team (AP) "I fully expect this crowd to be extremely loud. And, they’re going to energize our group," Roldan stated, highlighting Lumen Field's reputation. "This is one of the loudest stadiums in the world when you think about Seahawks games or Sounders games. Just seeing the Belgium game against Egypt and how the atmosphere was there, I fully expect the city of Seattle to come out and show out, and I think the guys are going to feel that type of energy." Australian fans attend a block party ahead of the match between the United States and Australia on June 18, 2026 in Seattle (Getty) He added that the team aims to reward supporters and build on their momentum, with the goal of "inspire and motivate the next generation." However, the team's excitement is somewhat overshadowed by concerns surrounding star player Christian Pulisic. He trained separately from his teammates for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday due to a left calf injury. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino of USA arrives for a press conference ahead of the Australia showdown (Getty) Coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Pulisic's availability remained uncertain as of Thursday night, casting a shadow over the crucial fixture. Australia, known as the Socceroos, presents a formidable challenge. The U.S. previously secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against a physical Australian side in an October friendly, a match Pochettino described as anything but friendly. The coach emphasized the need for his team to match Australia's intensity, stating, "I think we need to play on the edge of the line, with not crossing the lines of the rules." From the Australian camp, center back Harry Souttar anticipates a fast start from the U.S., similar to their approach against Paraguay. Coach Tony Popovic, whose scrappy squad began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Turkey, articulated his team's ambition: "We want to earn our respect. We know that by our performances, we can put Australian football on the world map. And, that’s what we aim to do. We started off well against Turkey. Now, we want to back it up."