Australia starting lineup vs USA confirmed for FIFA World Cup 2026 match
(Courtesy : Getty)
The Socceroos are chasing back-to-back wins in the World Cup tonight.
Australia will take on co-hosts USA in their Group D Matchday 2 fixture in the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Lumen Field in Seattle. The Socceroos caused a shock by beating Turkiye in their opener and will look to maintain their perfect start against a strong home side.
Despite facing 30 shots and having just 28% possession, the Aussies successfully held Turkiye at bay for 90 minutes. Goals in either half from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe sealed a 2-0 win for the Oceania side.
The brilliant defensive performance against Turkiye will give the Socceroos belief that they can get the better of a USA side that thrashed Paraguay 4-1 in their opener. The Stars and Stripes have won both of their recent matches against Tony Popovic’s men and will be the favourites on paper.
With a tough clash against Paraguay to follow, the Aussies will know that avoiding defeat in tonight’s match will put them in a good spot to secure qualification to the knockout stage for the second time running.
Also Read: USA vs Australia: Five key battles to watch out for in FIFA World Cup 2026
Let’s look at the Australia confirmed lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against USA:
Australia (3-4-2-1): Patrick Beach; Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar (c), Cameron Burgess; Jacob Italiano, Aiden O’Neill, Paul Okon-Engstler, Jordan Bos; Mathew Leckie, Nishan Velupillay; Mohamed Toure.
Substitutes: Mathew Ryan (gk), Paul Izzo (gk), Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Cameron Devlin, Jason Geria, Lucas Herrington, Ajdin Hrustic, Nestory Irankunda, Jackson Irvine, Awer Mabil, Connor Metcalfe, Kai Trewin, Cristian Volpato, Tete Yengi.
Thoughts on the lineup
Melbourne City goalkeeper Patrick Beach had a World Cup debut to remember against Turkiye, making eight big saves to protect the clean sheet. He starts between the sticks in tonight’s game as well.
Tony Popovic opted for a largely unchanged side. The three-man defensive line of former Italy youth international Alessandro Circati and the Scotland-born pair of Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess will protect the goal.
Versatile utility man Jacob Italiano slots in at right-back, with Feyenoord’s Jordan Bos starting on the left. Aiden O’Neill starts in midfield, joined by Sydney FC youngster Paul Okon-Engstler, who assisted Nestory Irankunda’s opener against Turkiye.
Surprisingly, Popovic dropped both the goalscorers from the last match, Connor Metcalfe and Irankunda, to the bench. In their places, Melbourne City veteran Mathew Leckie and Indian-origin attacker Nishan Velupillay start below the lone striker, Norwich City youngster Mohamed Toure.
When is Australia vs USA FIFA World Cup 2026 match?
The Group D clash is scheduled for Friday, June 19, at Lumen Field in Seattle. In India, the match will kick off at 12:30 AM IST on June 20.
Where to watch Australia vs USA match in India?
Fans in India can watch the game live on Zee5 (premium subscription required) or on Unite8 Sports TV channels.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.