United States men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino says he plans to make changes for Tuesday’s friendly versus Australia, aiming to halt the Socceroos’ 12-game unbeaten streak under Tony Popovic. The match will take place at Denver’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, which presents its own challenges given the high altitude.
Fatigue, altitude, and squad rotation
Pochettino revealed several players are still feeling the effects of a 1-1 draw with Ecuador in Austin. While the team showed resilience, the physical toll is clear, especially ahead of a game in Denver, which sits over 5,200 feet (1,584m) above sea level. He said the difference in conditions means some players should not be risked, and others may benefit from rest or rotation.
Christian Pulisic, who had some ankle swelling before the match with Ecuador, trained on Monday and could feature, but Pochettino wants to wait and see how he responds. On the other hand, left back Antonee Robinson remains out due to a knee issue.
Tactical adjustment and experimentation
Beyond player rotation, Pochettino is considering changing the formation or approach. The coach said it’s an opportunity to try different shapes or styles, to see what works best against an opponent like Australia. He acknowledged that while the system used versus Ecuador was promising, Australia presents a different challenge — and might require tweaks.
The move is partly to test depth in the squad and give fringe players chances, especially with the World Cup in 2026 on the horizon. Pochettino noted that players who are “knocking on the door” deserve chances, and friendlies offer the least risky environment to experiment.
Australia’s context and challenge
Australia comes into the friendly with confidence from a solid run: 12 games unbeaten under Popovic, including recent results like a 1-0 win over Canada in Montreal. They’ve already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup, which lets them approach these friendlies with both competitive intensity and a chance to deepen squad cohesion.
Popovic has also spoken of making changes due to the physical demands — especially with travel, altitude, and short recovery windows. Australia will likely rotate some players and possibly adjust their tactics to maintain momentum.
What this match could decide
While the result in a friendly won’t determine group standings or qualification, this game has value:
- It allows Pochettino to test his squad’s ability under varied conditions.
- It gives Australia another opportunity to solidify structures and test depth.
- For the US, it’s a chance to assess fitness, tactical flexibility, and readiness ahead of more consequential matches.
Pochettino downplays the idea that a friendly win defines anything long-term, but clearly sees this as more than just a tune-up. Whether through formation changes, rotation, or managing player loads, the US coach is trying to build not just for tomorrow, but toward 2026.
