Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – United States star Christian Pulisic said the World Cup co-hosts are “ready to battle” on soccer’s biggest stage as they prepare for a potentially bruising opener against Paraguay on Friday. Expectations are running high in the States as the US hosts the tournament for the first time since 1994, alongside Mexico and Canada, and talisman forward Pulisic insisted the squad around him is “able to compete with anyone.”
“We want to be a real force in this tournament,” he told AFP. “We’ve got three really good games to show everyone what we’re all about,” he added. The first of those comes against South American opposition in Paraguay. Kicking off at 6.00pm local time in Los Angeles (0100 GMT Saturday), the first US-based game of this World Cup will be preceded by a Hollywood-style opening ceremony.
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Paraguay are the lowest-ranked team in Group D, which also contains Australia and Turkey, but have as much World Cup pedigree as any of their rivals. “Paraguay has shown in qualification for this World Cup how tough it is to play against, and how they perform so well. They beat Argentina, Brazil,” coach Mauricio Pochettino told AFP. Pochettino hails from neighboring Argentina and played alongside many Paraguayan teammates during his days at Newell’s Old Boys. He warned of their “mentality, the competitiveness.”
“From South America, Paraguay are like brothers for us… My expectation is tomorrow is going to be very tough, because Paraguay are not only competitive, aggressive. They have good quality.” Pulisic said Pochettino has helped to make a talented US team more streetwise ahead of the clash. “We know we have to be ready to battle. It’s not about just playing beautiful football,” said Pulisic.
The US are expected to line up with Monaco striker Folarin Balogun between Pulisic and PSV Eindhoven’s Sergino Dest. The likely midfield trio is Juventus star Weston McKennie, Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Malik Tillman, and Bournemouth anchor Tyler Adams. Pulisic had been suffering a five-month goal drought, but was on superb form in a 3-2 friendly win over Senegal last month, with a goal and an assist.
Paraguay’s best players include former Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron, and diminutive young ball-running midfielder Julio Enciso, who joined French club Strasbourg from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer. Experienced defenders Omar Alderete and Gustavo Gomez are the squad’s leaders, while Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro — who took Ecuador to the last World Cup — has preached a simple, direct style, with plenty of aerial attacks.
“Paraguay is a great team and really good test,” Pulisic told AFP. “We know from the inside what we’re capable of, and now it’s about showing it.” Pochettino, who has managed Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain, reiterated that progressing from Group D alone would not qualify as success for him. “For me, successful is to win. Is to win tomorrow. And win after,” he said. “If we don’t arrive at the final and we don’t win the World Cup, to talk about ‘successful’? I don’t know.”
© 2024 AFP
