USA Players Want To Lay Off The 'Layup' Chatter Ahead Australia Matchup

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Laken Litman College Football & Soccer Analyst

U.S. World Cup Team Training Base (IRVINE, Calif.) – One storyline has dominated the buildup to the U.S. men's national team's second World Cup match against Australia on Friday.

Specifically, one word.

When both nations were drawn into Group D last December, former MLS player and current CBS analyst Mike Grella labeled the looming matchup a "layup" for the United States. His comment went viral and sparked a stir in the Australian camp.

So much so that Australian reporters have asked American players – who appear mostly unaware of the remark – about it this week.

Tyler Adams isn't buying into the ‘layup’ noise. (Photo by Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

"No, it’s not a layup," said Tyler Adams, rolling his eyes. "If anything, it’s going to be one of the most difficult games that we play."

Adams is right for several reasons. For one, the U.S. currently leads Group D on goal differential after a commanding 4-1 win over Paraguay, narrowly ahead of Australia following its 2-1 victory over Türkiye on Saturday. A win Friday in Seattle would strengthen its grip on the top spot.

Secondly, the two sides met last October in a feisty friendly that set the tone for what will be another physical matchup. That game featured 26 fouls and two yellow cards, with star Christian Pulisic forced off in the first half after a heavy challenge.

At halftime of that match, manager Mauricio Pochettino delivered an emotional message caught on a "Behind the Crest" video, urging his players to respond and "match their intensity" as he paced the locker room. After falling behind 1-0 early in the first half, the U.S. came back to win 2-1 behind a brace from Haji Wright.

USA's midfielder Christian Pulisic battling Australia back in fall. (Photo by JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images)

"The game was fun," a smiling Tim Weah told reporters on Tuesday. "That experience was fun. It was aggressive. I think from that game, we’ve changed a lot. I think we’ve gotten a bit more aggressive as well. It’s going to be a wonderful clash, a wonderful game."

Weah stopped short of calling that match a turning point for the team, but players do view it as an important moment in the squad’s development. Since taking over in September 2024, Pochettino has worked hard to infuse his South American influence in the group, emphasizing passion, grit and the willingness to battle for one another.

"We’re American, we don’t take s***," Sebastian Berhalter said, offering insight into what Pochettino has told the team. "Even though he’s Argentinian, he has that mindset of like, ‘Look, this is what we do and this is who we are and this is what America is about.’

"Even from an outside perspective, he showed us Americans what we’re about, and he really drills that into us and is someone who has helped us this last cycle."

USA's Sebastian Berhalter will let his play doing the talking. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Australia will present a stern test for the U.S. The Socceroos are a disciplined and relentless team that will sit deep, absorb pressure, and make it challenging for the Americans to break them down.

"I love the way they defend, honestly," Berhalter said of watching Australia’s opening match vs. Türkiye. "They were a group, they were a unit, and they gave everything they had and it worked. It’s gonna be a great game and they’re gonna fight. You like teams that have that brotherhood, you like teams who, when you go against them, you can see they’re hungry and want to fight because it makes you raise your level that much more."

The U.S. wants a rowdy environment like it experienced at Los Angeles Stadium last week. Seattle is known for its electric soccer crowds, and that home support could prove crucial in this kind of hard-fought contest.

Christian Pulisic is day-to-day as he deals with a sore calf. (Photo by John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)

The team is also hoping Pulisic, who contributed to the USA’s first two goals vs. Paraguay, will be fit to play. The superstar forward has been dealing with a left calf issue that kept him off the field in the second half last Friday. As of Tuesday, his training has been "modified" and he was not participating with the full team. His status is "day-to-day," according to a U.S. Soccer spokesperson.

The Americans are preparing accordingly and certainly not overlooking the Aussies in any way. Despite what some pundits say.

"All the talk is just nonsense to me," Weah said. "They’re a young team that has a lot of fight, a lot of grit, and a lot of hunger just like us. We respect them in the same way that we respect any other opponent.

"We’re focused on the bigger picture and what we have to do as a team to make sure that we’re prepared for the competition and the game. I think it's going to be an amazing game."