The U.S. men’s national team captured the eyes of more than 18 million Americans as the 4–1 victory over Paraguay became the second-most watched men’s World Cup game in the country’s history. For many tuning in, the brash, attacking style would fit the personality of manager Mauricio Pochettino and align with what people expect from a U.S. team. They were physical, unrelenting and still skillful, as Folarin Balogun scored a brace and they played their South American Group D opponents off the pitch. Much of that came down to what Pochettino told the group at halftime, according to USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who entered the game for an ailing Christian Pulisic at the break.“We’re American, we don’t take s---. That’s something he really drilled into us,” Berhalter told reporters of Pochettino’s motivation. “Even though he’s Argentinian, he has that mindset. This is what we do, this is who we are, and this is what America is about.”With the second matchup of Group D looming against Australia, the USMNT expects another feisty affair. The Socceroos are aiming to steal top spot in the group with their defensive resilience and physicality, as well as a potent counterattack led by Watford youngster Nestory Irankunda. October’s Friendly Sparks RivalryThe USMNT got into a feisty battle with Australia in October. | Andrew Wevers/USSF/Getty ImagesA friendly match in October in Commerce City, Colo., sparked a rivalry between the nations, with heated challenges and scuffles breaking out, leading to Pulisic leaving the game with an injury. In the lead-up to Friday’s clash in Seattle, those memories have been renewed and aided by a war of words in the media. Notably, CBS commentator and former USMNT player Mike Grella’s punditry has come to light after he called Australia a “layup” for the co-hosts following December’s World Cup draw. The players, asked about it this week, don’t quite agree. “The game was fun,” Tim Weah said Wednesday, rolling his eyes and smiling at a group of reporters. “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.”Since picking up that 2–1 win, which came with two goals from Haji Wright, the team has shown more vigor. In November, a scuffle with Paraguay stood out, and there’s an imposing presence the USMNT walked into this World Cup with a little more aggressiveness—much of that, sparking from that night in Colorado. Australia Ready for UpsetNestory Irankunda is Australia’s biggest weapon in attack. | Dale MacMillan/Soccrates/Getty ImagesLikely backed by a yellow wall of crazed fans as they were in a 2–0 win over Türkiye in Vancouver, Australia feels as if it can grab a similar result against the tournament co-host. In that first match, the Socceroos struggled to control the game, finishing with 28% possession and conceding 30 shots, but limited high-percentage shooting opportunities and cashed in on their transitional opportunities. In the leadup to that match, Türkiye’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu told reporters that his side would “dominate” the match and in the tunnel before walking out for anthems, Arda Güler said—in Turkish—that “we are better than them,” before losing without a goal. “They came, they did their talking but they couldn’t back it up on the field,” Irankunda said after that match a few hours drive north of the Canada-U.S. border. “We got the win at the end of the day, and people can talk all they want, but if they’re not gonna put a performance out there on the pitch, then there’s no point in talking. Obviously, that gave us fire in our belly. It obviously did piss off a few boys, but at the end of the day, these guys can talk all their s---, so we don’t really care.”For the USMNT, there’s certainly some talking. Yet, even with the brashness, it isn’t quite as potent as Türkiye’s, even if Weah’s eye roll and Berhalter’s impassioned comments speak beyond the words uttered. With Pulisic in doubt, having trained on his own for much of the week, Berhalter could get a start, as well. If he does, that intensity will only increase, in a game that is poised to define the top spot in the group. “It’s going to be a great game, they’re going to fight,” Berhalter said. “We like teams that have that brotherhood, you know? We like teams that you can see they’re hungry, they want to fight.”READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow