It's time to think about the next stage of the World Cup. The United States men's national team have already secured their place in the knockout stage, so Mauricio Pochettino's side can now turn their attention to the potential opponents awaiting them in the next round. The Americans booked their spot in the last 32 after a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening match, followed by a 2-0 win against Australia. Those back-to-back victories not only guaranteed qualification but also ensured the United States would finish top of Group D with a game to spare. Let's take a look at the Group D standings first:
Group D standings
PosTeamGPWDLGFGAGDPTS1United States220061+562Australia210122033Paraguay210124-234Turkiye200203-30Scores and schedule
Friday, June 12 USA 4, Paraguay 1
Saturday, June 13 Australia 2, Turkiye 0
Friday, June 19 USA 2, Australia 0 Paraguay 1, Turkiye 0
Thursday, June 25 Turkiye vs. USA, 10 p.m. Paraguay vs. Australia, 10 p.m.
Who will they meet in the Round of 32?
The side coached by Mauricio Pochettino will meet Turkiye in the last matchday of the group stage but have already clinched the top spot of the group, granting them a spot in the Round of 32 of the World Cup after winning Group D. In the next round, the United States will take on the third-place finisher from one of five possible groups: B, E, F, I, or J, meaning they can meet one of the following 15 teams:
- Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar
- Group E: Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Curacao
- Group F: Sweden, Japan, Netherlands
- Group I: Senegal, Iraq
- Group J: Algeria, Jordan, Austria
At the moment, that pairing would be: USA vs. Algeria. However, various projection engines, having worked through all the possible permutations and third-place calculations suggest that the key match to watch is the one between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar. The Expecting Goals World Cup projection model predicts that the USMNT will face the winner of that match. It's when that match is a draw that things get very very complicated.
Who will they meet in the Round of 16?
If the bracket remains unchanged, the United States will meet the winner of the Round of 32 clash between Group G leaders Egypt and the best third-placed team from Groups A, E, H, I, or J.
At the moment, that pairing would be: Egypt vs. Czechia.
When are the United States playing in the knockouts?
Mauricio Pochettino's team will play the Round of 32 match on July 1 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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