World Cup: Group D: USA vs. Turkiye, Paraguay vs. Australia, 6/25/2026

[Summer Rose]

Thanks to the curiously easy draw we might wait a while there.

I wouldn't say it's a "curiously easy" draw; host countries are always given an advantage in the draw, e.g. if it's a single host they'll do something like automatically assign them to group A and treat them as if they came out of the top draw pot, etc.

 

[Bounces R Way]

This Paraguay Australia game is rough. Don't think either side has put together more than 3 consecutive passes.

So does Neil Patrick Harris, but he's not playing in this match so that's kind of unrelated.

 

[koyvoo]

How do you say Tika Taka in American?

 

[Osprey]

Used to do that all the time growing up to waste the least amount of time possible.

Yeah, now that a couple of you mention that reason, that does sound rather familiar, but from my playing days and not since.

 

[Summer Rose]

How do you say Tika Taka in American?

It's a loanword instead of being calqued, as far as I know.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

One thing with home tournaments - home World Cups in particular - that people often forget is that it's the kind of thing everyone circles in the calendar for years. It's basically a life goal that many other things take a backseat to. Getting everyone to pull in the same direction, to ignore distractions, to not let trivial aspects get in the way, is pretty much the hardest thing in a tournament. So many of those tournament failure stories ultimately go back to issues in the player/coach/management dynamics..and it's much easier to avoid this problem when you're the host nation and you know this is a once-a-career chance to make an impact.

 

[robertmac43]

Little better from Enciso there.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I wouldn't say it's a "curiously easy" draw; host countries are always given an advantage in the draw, e.g. if it's a single host they'll do something like automatically assign them to group A and treat them as if they came out of the top draw pot, etc.

It's just a much bigger impact when there's three host nations which would all not be #1 pot teams in a typical tournament.

 

[Sol]

Is Pulisic usually this slow?

 

[koyvoo]

One thing with home tournaments - home World Cups in particular - that people often forget is that it's the kind of thing everyone circles in the calendar for years. It's basically a life goal that many other things take a backseat to. Getting everyone to pull in the same direction, to ignore distractions, to not let trivial aspects get in the way, is pretty much the hardest thing in a tournament. So many of those tournament failure stories ultimately go back to issues in the player/coach/management dynamics..and it's much easier to avoid this problem when you're the host nation and you know this is a once-a-career chance to make an impact.

This America you’re talking about though. Don’t forget. Rocky Balboa beat Ivan Drago in Moscow.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

K what's up with this pitch....

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

This particular U.S. lineup would have serious defensive issues against even decent opposition though. Turkey are asking significant questions without even trying especially hard.

 

[Live in the Now]

This particular U.S. lineup would have serious defensive issues against even decent opposition though. Turkey are asking significant questions without even trying especially hard.

They’d get smoked. Trusty and Scally and Robinson don’t belong out there. And then the defensive midfield is imbalanced too.

 

[Bounces R Way]

How do you say Tika Taka in American?

you don't

 

[Sol]

Interesting to read they’re playing on grass and not turf because fifa mandates it. 7 stadiums had to remove turf to put grass.

I HATE playing on turf.

 

[Summer Rose]

They’d get smoked. Trusty and Scally and Robinson don’t belong out there. And then the defensive midfield is imbalanced too.

But usually you'd smoke Turkey...

... I'll see myself out.

 

[Live in the Now]

Paraguay isn’t even locked into the next round with a draw. Truly insipid from them.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Haji Wright must have kicked Poch's dog or something. Pepi has been invisible.

 

[Summer Rose]

Interesting to read they’re playing on grass and not turf because fifa mandates it. 7 stadiums had to remove turf to put grass.

I HATE playing on turf.

I played a rugby match on turf in Flagstaff, Arizona once... that experience was, er, regrettable.

 

[Osprey]

This America you’re talking about though. Don’t forget. Rocky Balboa beat Ivan Drago in Moscow.

Also, don't forget that Ivan Drago beat Apollo Creed in Las Vegas, so home canvas clearly wasn't an advantage.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

But usually you'd smoke Turkey...

... I'll see myself out.

God I love good smoked turkey.

 

[Sol]

I played a rugby match on turf in Flagstaff, Arizona once... that experience was, er, regrettable.

It’s legit awful and uncomfortable. You will injure your knee and ankle far more on turf. It’s horrible.

 

[Osprey]

This particular U.S. lineup would have serious defensive issues against even decent opposition though. Turkey are asking significant questions without even trying especially hard.

This poor US defense is giving me flashbacks to my youth soccer teams that I was a defender on.

 

[robertmac43]

Thinking of Australia - what ever happened to Garang Kuol?

He was all the talk of the Qatar wc.

 

[koyvoo]

Paraguay isn’t even locked into the next round with a draw. Truly insipid from them.

Four points almost impossible not to advance though