USMNT vs. Australia: What to know about the Socceroos before Colorado clash

After a solid year of fits and starts, the United States Men's National Team is on a roll.

The team kicked off its October playing window with an impressive 1-1 draw against Ecuador in Austin, Texas. Ecuador is one of the world's fastest-rising teams; it finished second in South America's brutal World Cup qualification process (ahead of the likes of Brazil and Uruguay) and soundly beat defending world champion Argentina along the way.

The USMNT has one game remaining in this October window: a tricky clash against 25th-ranked Australia in Commerce City, C.O. on Tuesday. The teams have faced off just three times in their respective histories and earned one win and one draw apiece.

Australia's national team, known affectionately as the Socceroos, made a run to the Round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup and has already qualified for the 2026 edition of the tournament. Here's what to expect from it as it takes on the high-flying USMNT:

Old-school bunkering

In many ways, Ecuador and Australia were inspired choices for the USMNT in this October window. The two champion playing styles that could not be more different: Ecuador is fast, physical and relentless, while Australia is measured, careful and resolute. The USMNT is going to need to know how to handle both approaches if it aims to make a deep run in the 2026 World Cup.

This Australia side is an old-school defensive unit, one that leverages a real five-at-the-back system that hearkens back to Premier League teams of the mid-00s. It's not going to threaten the USMNT on every break like Ecuador did; it's going to sit deep, play a low block and frustrate the USMNT instead.

Take Australia's recent game against Canada as proof. The Socceroos managed just five shots to Canada's 17 and only put one shot on target in the entire match. It didn't matter. Australia's defense, which sometimes ballooned to include nine of its 10 outfield players, kept Canada at bay without too much trouble. That one shot on target was all Australia needed to steal a cheeky 1-0 victory.