By Rory Carroll and Frank PingueUS coach Mauricio Pochettino said his side must be prepared for a very difficult World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday, warning that the South Americans are dangerous opponents despite the hosts being favoured.After Mexico’s 2-0 win against Bafana Bafana in the World Cup opening match in Mexico City on Thursday, both the other two co-hosts are in action on Friday, with Canada meeting Bosnia and Herzegovina.The US begin their World Cup campaign at Los Angeles Stadium in Group D, carrying the expectations that come with playing on home soil and with a squad Pochettino said has arrived in strong physical, tactical and emotional condition.But the Argentine, who knows Paraguay well from his playing and coaching career, said Gustavo Alfaro’s team would pose a serious challenge.“I know very well the mentality, the aggressivity, the competitivity,” Pochettino said on Thursday.“Paraguay showed in qualification for this World Cup how tough it is to play against them and how they performed so well. They beat Argentina, Brazil. My expectation is tomorrow is going to be a very tough game.“They have good quality and a great coach in Gustavo Alfaro who I respect and admire him a lot.”Pochettino, appointed in 2024 to lead the US into a home World Cup, said he was encouraged by the team’s growth in the months leading into the tournament, particularly in their final two warm-up matches — a 3-2 win over Senegal and a narrow 2-1 defeat by Germany.The coach said those performances helped convince the squad they could hold their own against leading teams.“The last two games allowed us to think and to feel that it’s possible to do whatever we want and compete in our best way, and to compete with big teams,” he said.Pochettino said the team had improved not only tactically but also mentally, adding that the players had embraced a more demanding culture around the national team.“I think they are much better players. The mindset is starting to change,” he said.Pochettino said all 26 players are available for selection, including defender Chris Richards, who had been working his way back from an ankle injury.One decision Pochettino has already made is who will start in goal, though he declined to reveal whether Matt Turner or Matt Freese would get the nod.“I decided,” Pochettino said when asked about his starting lineup. “The starting 11 is there, unless something happens before the game.”Asked whether the goalkeepers had been informed, he smiled and added: “I don’t know if they know, because if I tell you they know, you are going to start to call them.”Canada coach Jesse Marsch has a simple message for anyone wondering whether his side are ready for the weight of a home World Cup: they are not just ready for it, they want it.Canada will arrive at Toronto Stadium on Friday for their first World Cup game on home soil carrying the weight of a nation after a build-up that has been defined as much by the treatment room as the training pitch, but Marsch is undaunted.“If you do this for a living, this is where you want to be,” Marsch said on Thursday ahead of the Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina.“I came to Canada to be the coach because I liked these guys and I believed they could fit the way I wanted to play, but I came here to lead them in the World Cup — in the home World Cup. I wanted this responsibility.”The biggest injury concern remains captain Alphonso Davies, who will miss Friday’s match with a hamstring injury suffered during Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final last month. But Marsch said an MRI on Wednesday brought encouraging signs.We are ready to play some big games. We are ready to make our country proud, make our fans proud. We are ready to go after this— Canada coach Jesse March“We’re getting ready to ramp things up,” the American said.“He will not be available for tomorrow, but he’s showing, like he always has, a real good ability to recover from muscle injuries. We’re really hopeful that over the next days and weeks we can accelerate things and give him a chance to contribute here soon.”Midfielder Ismael Kone sent a scare through the camp when he left training early on Wednesday before it had even properly begun, but Marsch was quick to put those fears to rest — with a touch of exasperation.“He just felt a little sick, so we sent him home because we were doing nothing on the day, and it was like a five-star red alert,” Marsch said. “Ismael trained today, he’s totally fine, he’s ready to go.”Even defender Moise Bombito, whose recovery from a broken leg appeared to stall after lasting just 30 minutes in a warm-up match against Uzbekistan, will be ready if called upon.“He’s not fully at 100%, but he’s reached his top speed,” Marsch said. “I don’t see any reason that a week from now he’s not ready to even be considered as a starter.”Canada have made major strides since Marsch took over in 2024, notably reaching the Copa America semi-finals that year. This is also the first time Canada have appeared at back-to-back World Cups, and they are still searching for their maiden point after six defeats across the 1986 and 2022 tournaments.Marsch declared his team ready. “We are ready to play some big games. We are ready to make our country proud, make our fans proud. We are ready to go after this.”This weekend’s World Cup fixtures:(SA times)Friday:Group B: Canada v Bosnia & Herzegovina, Toronto, 9pm SaturdayGroup D: US vs Paraguay, Los Angeles, 3am Group B: Qatar v Switzerland, San Francisco, 9pmGroup C: Brazil vs Morocco, New Jersey, 12am Sunday:Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, Boston, 3amGroup D: Australia vs Turkey, Vancouver, 6amGroup E: Germany vs Curacao, Houston, 7pmGroup F: Netherlands vs Japan, Dallas, 10pmAll the World Cup fixtures hereWorld Cup page hereAll the group profiles hereStar player profiles hereBafana news here