LOS ANGELES — The United States begins their World Cup challenge on Friday, taking on a savvy Paraguay side in a high-stakes match in Los Angeles.
The World Cup co-hosts know they must avoid a banana skin at the futuristic SoFi Stadium in the first World Cup finals game on US soil for 32 years.
US head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he expects his team to do much more than simply progress from Group D.
“For me, successful is to win. Is to win. And win after,” the former Tottenham coach said according to AFP.
“If we don’t arrive to the final and we don’t win the World Cup, to talk about ‘successful’? I don’t know.”
A talented crop of US players, led by Christian Pulisic, need to prove themselves against the world’s best, while dealing with the pressures of playing in front of their own fans.
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.”
Pochettino, an Argentine, has insisted his team need to be equal to the streetwise South Americans.
“We know we have to be ready to battle. It’s not about just playing beautiful football,” said Pulisic.
US Secretary of State Mario Rubio will attend the opening match. President Donald Trump has said he would be present at other games in the tournament, without specifying which.
The game in Los Angeles will be preceded by a Hollywood-style opening ceremony featuring Katy Perry and a host of music stars.
In Friday’s other game, co-hosts Canada go in search of the first World Cup win in their history as they tackle Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto.
Canada must do without their star player Alphonso Davies, who is still recovering from a hamstring issue.
