The World Cup is only getting started and there have already been a couple of upsets. Australia’s 2-0 win over Turkey was unexpected, as was Cape Verde’s spirited 0-0 draw against European champions Spain and DR Congo’s first ever tournament point, picked up against Portugal.Going forward, there will be further upsets as the stakes climb. While the expanded format has opened the door for more teams to make the knockout rounds, the desperation of certain teams that face an early exit could generate some shocks.Here are three matches to look out for at this stage of World Cup group fixtures.USA vs AustraliaFriday, June 19 in Seattle
The U.S. made an extremely positive start by thumping Paraguay 4-1 in their tournament opener in Los Angeles, producing what has been labelled by some as their best-ever performance at a World Cup. It was certainly a result and display that caused many to sit up and take notice.Australia, however, also started their World Cup campaign impressively — beating Turkey 2-0, when most expected Vincenzo Montella’s side to come out on top. The way the Socceroos approached their opener has surely given Mauricio Pochettino something to consider, and possibly something to worry about.Against Turkey, Australia sat deep in their defensive block, protected their penalty box well and hit on the counter-attack – primarily through Nestory Irankunda, whose direct running and determination to get in behind could be an issue for a USA backline that includes 38-year-old Tim Ream.
