Summary
Thank you all for your company today. Jack Snape’s match report is now live.
Stay tuned for plenty of reaction from Pasadena, then the squad announcements tomorrow as World Cup fever ramps up.
Five weeks, three countries, 48 teams, 16 host cities, 104 matches. And I’ll be part of the team bringing you all the action, goal by goal by bloody goal. Adios!
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The Socceroos are next in action on Sunday against Switzerland. That’s a 5am AEST kick-off. Then they’re into World Cup mode with Turkiye up first in Vancouver. That one is Saturday, 13 June 9:00pm local / 2:00pm AEST (Sunday, 14 June).
Mexico will also announce their World Cup squad tomorrow, then their next assignment is a friendly with Serbia in Toluca on Thursday. After that it’s the World Cup opener against South Africa on June 11.
I don’t think it will be a great suprise when Popovic announces his World Cup 26 tomorrow. He left out Borrello, Gauci, and Yengi from today’s squad, which means he realistically only has one more decision to make – who flys home to accommodate Cristian Volpato?
Geria, Rowles, Degenek, Devlin, and Boyle were the players to see no game time today, while Burgess and Mabil only saw the final couple of minutes.
In terms of individuals, I don’t think anyone played themselves out of contention. Mexico clearly targeted Italiano on the right, and Australia improved when Trewin took up that post. On the other side, Bos seems like too much of a weapon to me to be asked to play wing-back. I would push him further forward and start Behich behind him.
Set-piece delivery needs to improve, especially from Metcalfe, or whomever is entrusted with left-footed crosses.
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Ruthless edge needed in attack
I agree with much of Chris’s assessment. Australia (and Popovic in particular) just don’t look like they want to play front-foot football, and are not set up accordingly. They looked dangerous for half an hour after half-time playing an aggressive transitional style, but there is an absence of ruthless quality in attack to feed off such scraps. Toure and Hrustic both should have scored clean through but neither looked dead-eyed in the moment.
For now at least, set-pieces to Souttar do look like the route one to goal (pun intended), which is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but will clearly make long portions of matches feel ugly.
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“Popovic is probably backed up by data in setting up to nick a goal or two, which would be enough to sneak us into the knockouts with three points,” emails Chris Paraskevas.
It’s ugly to watch but look at Mexico: barely able to string three passes together, and despite being below par and conceding a soft set-piece goal, we might be ahead.
But therein lies the issue: the margins are probably too fine for this gameplan, given the absence of bonafide EPL stars, who deal with those margins on a daily basis. That of course leads to the next issue: a dearth of players with the technical quality and physical attributes play on the “front foot”.
The biggest positive tonight? Souttar hasn’t been injured and he’s the one player in this team who has proved he can affect the game at a World Cup at both ends of the pitch.
A lot rests on his fitness.
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Mexico dominated the first half and led deservedly 1-0 at the break. Australia dominated the second half but failed to convert the two best opportunities of the match.
That is now seven matches in 2026 for Mexico, during which they have conceded just one goal and kept six clean sheets.
For Australia it’s a fourth consecutive away defeat, failing to score in their last three on the road.
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Full-time: Mexico 1-0 Australia
90+6 mins: Hrustic crosses, Mexico head clear, the full-time whistle blows.
90+5 mins: Circati’s long ball is headed behind. Just seconds remaining for Australia to take the corner.
90+4 mins: Vellupilay concedes a free-kick on halfway fighting for a ball there to be won. Australia will have one last go for an equaliser.
90+3 mins: Souttar finds Mabil with a penetrating pass but the forward lacks conviction, trying a hopeful ball into the box when he could have run at the retreating Mexican defence.
90+2 mins: As you might expect from a half featuring 19 substitutions, this contest is starting to lack structure.
90+1 mins: Five minutes of stoppage time to be played.
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90 mins: Mabil comes on for Irvine, Burgess for Herrington.
89 mins: Lovely hip sway from Hrustic allows Irankunda his first opportunity to run at the Mexican defence, but the black wall stands firm and the Australian is robustly robbed man and ball.
88 mins: Irvine gets forward and runs the right channel. He lays it off neatly to Irankunda and returns for the one-two, but the chip into the area is headed clear before a shooting opportunity can materilaise.
87 mins: Souttar has some rare space on the right, steps onto his left foot and curls over a wicked cross. Irankunda misses with the bicycle kick and there are enough other gold shirts in the box ready to snaffle a half-chance but the ball never bounces their way.
86 mins: Souttar and Gimenez have a fair old ding-dong that ends with the Mexican picking himself up from the deck with a face like thunder and looking to square up to the big Australian, only to find himself going forehead to sternum. Circati acts as peacemaker.
85 mins: Australia have been becalmed for the past 10 minutes or so but are back on the ball, building from the back. It comes to nought initially, but the intensity to win the ball back high (gegenpressing if you will) once again proves the Socceroos’ most productive route to goal, until Irankunda runs out of room.
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83 mins: “It’s not where you start the pull, it’s where it finishes,” explains Andy Harper on TV. Referring to a potential shirt tug near the Australian box, in case you were in any doubt.
81 mins: Behich and Irankunda replace Toure and Bos for the final 10 minutes.
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80 mins: Annnnnnnddddddd…. with 11 minutes to go the players (most of whom are now substitutes) head off for a drinks break. The temperature is 18C. What a farce. Half-time, by the way, was 19 minutes long. Fifa, you are ruining the sport over which you have custody.
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79 mins: Mexico are back in this contest after half-an-hour or so of Australian dominance.
78 mins: Mora eventually takes the official free-kick and clips it straight into the wall.
76 mins: That was a weird reaction. It wasn’t even a controversial decision by the referee, who was clearly setting the Australian wall and spraying his magic shaving foam on the pitch.
75 mins: Souttar is penalised for going through the back of Gallardo just outside the box. Mexico take a quick free-kick and put the ball in the net, but the referee was still busy setting the Australian wall. Mexico lose their bundle in spectacular fashion and all 22 players come together in a series of heated gesticulations.
73 mins: Changes 10 and 11 for Mexico with Vargas and Gomez coming on. The former is the first Alaskan-born international footballer, apparently.
71 mins: Trewin has shone since his introduction. He intercepts to allow Bos to chip over a cross that Mexico clear. The Socceroos are pressing for an equaliser.
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69 mins: 78,479 fans inside the Rose Bowl today. The mostly Mexican contingent have created a terrific atmosphere with bursts of brass escaping from the stands to the pitchside microphones.
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67 mins: On clear chances Australia should now be in front.
65 mins: Hrustic has to score with his first touch! Australia prosper in transition down the right, Trewin feeds the ball to his playmaker on the edge of the box, the first touch creates the one-on-one but Ochoa is out quickly to smother and win the individual duel.
64 mins: Australia are now readying four subs of their own.
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62 mins: Australia have had two-thirds of possession this half. A much improved showing.
60 mins: Following their four half-time subs, Mexico make five more! One of those is 17 year old Gilberto Mora, who became his country’s youngest ever international when he debuted at 16.
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59 mins: Toure is working his socks off up top and is a little unlucky to concede a free-kick during a 50-50 wrestle.
57 mins: There’s no obvious structural change behind Australia’s improved performance. The forward press is higher and more aggressive. Bos is dragging the pitch wider on the left. But mainly its an improvement in application and intensity, instead of being happy to sit back and watch Mexico dominate possession.
56 mins: O’Neill with a dangerous curling cross. Souttar attacks it but it’s nicked away by Fidalgo and behind for a corner. Metcalfe’s initial delivery is woeful then he compounds the error by running the second ball out of play.
55 mins: Now Reyes is fortunate to escape a card after Toure beats him to a 50-50 in transition. Another golden set-piece opportunity.
54 mins: O’Neill dinks the free-kick to the far post. Souttar wins it comfortably, but his knock-down is straight to Ochoa. Still, it’s clearly going to be such a weapon during the World Cup.
53 mins: It’s all Australia at the moment and Huerta has his name taken for bringing Bos down on the counter.
52 mins: Metcalfe does magnificently filling in at left fullback, intercepting, then launching an inch perfect curling through ball for Toure to run onto. The striker is isolated, does well to secure possession, head into the box, hold up play, but can’t find a teammate with his layoff.
50 mins: Australia are doing much better in transition, winning the ball back and shifting it forward quickly. Leckie is the latest to profit and he smartly clips the ball into Toure, who nods the ball back to Metcalfe, but the resulting cross from Bos is headed clear.
48 mins: Ochoa is called into action again as Bos curls over a tempting cross along the six-yard line. Much better intent from the Socceroos.
Second half begins
46 mins: Australia win an early corner, their first of the night, and immediately there’s handbags near the penalty spot as Mexico try to set up a series of blockers in front of the tall timber in gold. Metcalfe’s delivery is poor and headed away at the near post. The second ball is better, Souttar wins the knock down and Toure has a snapshot that’s blocked in the area. The ball comes out again and O’Neill shoots form range, drawing a handy save from Ochoa.
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Australia don’t appear to have made any changes at the interval.
Mexico have made four, including the introduction of 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who is preparing to be part of his sixth World Cup squad.
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I’ll hold off making any conclusions until full-time, but that half felt more about Popovic than the 26 players he’s going to take to the World Cup. The Socceroos are clearly preparing for an absence of possession over the next month, but that strategy clearly needs revising if they go a goal behind.
What does Plan B look like?
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Half-time: Mexico 1-0 Australia
Mexico deservedly lead at half-time. El Tri dominated possession and controlled the game. However, Australia should have levelled just before the half-time whistle, and shortly after kick-off could have seen Mexico down to 10 men.
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45 mins: Toure misses a sitter! The diagonal ball into the right channel targets the overlapping Italiano. Mexico track it, but Mateo Chavez makes a hash of his header, Rangel is miles out of his goal expecting to either sweep it up himself or receive a simple header back. Instead, the ball lands straight at the feet of Australia’s striker with an open goal to hit from 20m, but he skews his effort wide. Chances don’t come any clearer than that at this level.
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43 mins: Vega breaks down the left, shifts the ball infield and Fidalgo hits the target from fully 30m. Ryan is equal to it, but that was a good hit.
41 mins: Or as Andrew Disseldorp puts it: “We’re all familiar with Ange-ball and Arnie-ball, I’m guessing under Popa at the World Cup we’ve got to get familiar with Popa-no-ball?” Indeed.
40 mins: This is not a great structure to be chasing a game against such technically proficient opponents.
38 mins: Irvine rakes his studs along Fidalgo’s Achilles causing a break in play. Shortly afterwards the Socceroos concede possession in transition and Mexico head to the left yet again. Mateo Chavez tries to cross once, then twice, and on the second occasion picks out a teammate on the edge of the box but as a shooting opportunity opens up the space is closed down. Australia belt the ball clear but Toure is unable to hold it up.
36 mins: Aguirre is stalking his technical area in all black like a made man whose been sipping too much espresso. Very Sopranos energy about him. Johnny Sacrimoni’s crew I reckon.
34 mins: The first standardised drinks break allows Popovic the chance to pass on some instructions as his side adjusts to chasing the game.
33 mins: Almost two! Vega whips in the free-kick menacingly with heaps of top spin. Vasquez gets the flick on that Ryan has to parry in contact with his upright, then Martinez is on the scene for the follow-up but he can’t redirect his effort on target.
32 mins: Not like that. Italiano goes into the book for a block on Chavez after misreading the bounce of the ball with Mexico continuing to target the left wing.
30 mins: Forced to chase the game, can Australia change tack?
28 mins: Popovic will be furious to concede from a set piece. O’Neill couldn’t leap high enough to win the header and then Ryan perhaps could have done better on the line. But Australia have offered little in attack and conceded five corners in the opening half an hour, inviting Mexico to perfect their routine.
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GOAL! Mexico 1-0 Australia (Vasquez, 27)
And finally El Tri convert one of their set-pieces. Vega with the outswinging corner. Vasquez with the header from the penalty spot, angling it just wide of the despairing Ryan and in off the post.
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26 mins: Another corner to Mexico, this time after threatening down the right and Souttar having to sweep. The Socceroos are inviting pressure.
25 mins: Australia drop their guard for a moment and Mexico are given time to cross from the right, pick out Vega in the box, and his header forces Ryan into a tip over the bar. Vega might have had more time than he realised. Leckie heads the resulting corner away at the near post.
24 mins: Chavez down the left is Mexico’s main route to goal, and the third corner of the night is earned when Italiano blocks his attempted cross. A dangerous delivery is flicked away by Metcalfe, then Bos goes full Bale v Maicon! That is incredible, kicking and chasing from inside his own half, skipping around the outside of Chavez and almost regathering it on halfway until a despairing last-ditch hook of the boot just about snuffs out the danger. That was thrilling from Bos.
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23 mins: Circati covers the right channel to concede a corner that Leckie heads away. A long range snapshot is then blocked before a more dangerous cross is curled over that Herrington gets his head to, then Irvine nods back to Ryan with plenty of hearts in mouths due to the proximity of skipper to keeper.
22 mins: In possession, however, there is a distinct lack of commitment to getting bodies forward and even with an attacking throw-in there was almost no ambition to do anything other than return immediately to the preset defensive formation.
21 mins: We’ve probably learned more from the four unnamed subs than the 20 minutes of action so far. Other than perhaps Popovic has drilled his side out of possession to within an inch of their lives.
19 mins: It’s all Mexico still. Australia are happy to absorb pressure then try to spring forward on the counter.
17 mins: Ryan claims a cross at the far post comfortably, under pressure from Orbelin.
15 mins: Mexico continue to spray the ball around, looking to shift Australia out of their defensive structure but every player in gold so far has been disciplined and avoided any notable errors – although Bos was fortunate his pass into his own box was collected by Circati and not a Mexican.
13 mins: Australia win a free-kick in midfield and immediately slow the game to a walking pace. Metcalfe delivers deep, Souttar’s height causes panic, Herrington picks up the crumbs and lays the ball off to Irvine who clips a shot away just wide of the post. It is a little ungainly and unsophisticated but the Socceroos are going to potent from those situations in the World Cup with such a massive targetman.
11 mins: Aguirre cuts a terrifying figure on the touchline, bellowing instructions. His side is dominating possession and working the ball briskly through midfield but Circati stands up well and almost turns defence into attack with some quick feet.
10 mins: Italiano has been busy defending at right back as Mexico look to free Mateo Chavez. Frustrated at the lack of success down that route Luis Chávez wallops a missile from range over the bar.
8 mins: Mexico then get back on the ball and work some nice combinations down the left but Souttar marshals his defensive crew well and Australia clear. Bos then darts at the Mexican defence like Gareth Bale but he has the ball nicked away from his toe at the last moment.
7 mins: WTF!? Alvarez quite clearly drags back Toure as the striker chases a hopeful long ball forward. It’s an obvious foul and possibly even a red card depending on the prospect of Toure collecting and running through one-on-one. The referee didn’t even blow his whistle. That was incredible.
6 mins: Australia get their first look through some industrious work by Metcalfe and Toure but the latter’s cross is too close to Rangel.
4 mins: Australia are set-up in a 5-2-3 formation, happy to drop into a mid-block and allow Mexico’s defence all the possession they wish. El Tri are lined up in a 4-3-3, aiming to work the bal lthrough the lines from back to front but happy to look for the rangy Guillermo Martínez up top.
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2 mins: Australia deal with the inswinger, clear, and Mexico begin their structured build-up from the back deep in their own half.
1 mins: Mexico win a free-kick on the left almost immediately from the kick-off. The delivery is dangerous and the second ball falls to a black shirt but their snapshot is blocked by Souttar, then Italiano is at point blank range for the second effort which is deflected wide for a corner.
Kick-off!
We are under way in Pasadena…
Advance Australia Fair is mumbled politely by a few dozen hardy souls before Himno Nacional Mexicano is absolutely belted out by tens of thousands of Mexican fans. It is a rousing tune and given the full treatment by Javier Aguirre and his troops. Those moments are going to be quite the spectacle during the World Cup in Mexico City.
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VAR is in operation today, and there will be mandatory drinks breaks, to replicate World Cup conditions.
Out walk the two teams into the vast Rose Bowl. Australia are wearing their latest iteration of gold and green. I’m not an enormous fan of the Nike design and tailoring. Mexico, by contrast, are blacked out from shoulder to ankle in an absolute beauty of a uniform. Adidas have been doing a grand job in that department for a while now.
Need to know anything about Mexico’s chances at the World Cup? Jesús Valdéz has you covered.
Manager, Javier Aguirre, has turned friendlies and regional competitions into character tests. Aguirre’s footballing idea is far more pragmatic than aesthetic. Mexico do not try to dominate through endless possession; they play with intensity, aggressive pressing and quick transitions. Aguirre wants to make his team uncomfortable to face, something that was evident in the recent friendlies against Portugal and Belgium. As he puts it: “At a World Cup, the team that plays the prettiest football does not always win. The team that knows how to compete does.”
Conditions at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena may be literally perfect. It is dry, still, and temperatures are around 22C and sliding.
The Rose Bowl hosted the 1994 men’s and 1999 women’s World Cup finals. The 90,000-capacity stadium is also slated to host the men’s and women’s gold medal matches at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Pasadena is a handy location for the Socceroos. Their three Group D matches are all along the Pacific coast, from Vancouver in the north, to Santa Clara in the south, with a visit to Seattle along the way.
Australia will be based at the Oakland Roots Sports Club from now until the end of their World Cup journey after acclimatising for the past three weeks in Florida.
Mexico form guide:
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In 2026 Mexico have played six matches, winning four times and drawing twice.
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Incredibly they have only conceded once all year.
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Goals have been hard to come by with four of the six matches featuring one goal or fewer.
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Since the start of 2024 Mexico have only scored more than twice on five occasions in 38 outings.
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El Tri are ranked 15th in the world by FIFA. Since the last World Cup their range has encompassed 12th to 19th.
Australia form guide:
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By contrast to Mexico who enjoy a packed international calendar, Australia are rarely sighted. They have appeared only twice this year, winning home friendlies against Curaçao and Cameroon in March.
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At the end of 2025 the Socceroos lost a pair of friendlies in the US to Venezuela and Colombia without finding the back of the net.
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Australia are 27th on FIFA’s standings, which is pretty much where they’ve been for the past three-and-a-half years.
Head-to-head:
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The teams have met six times before with Australia winning twice, Mexico once, and three draws.
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Australia’s victories both came in the Confederations Cup, including in 1997, during their unexpected run to the final.
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The most recent clash was a 2-2 draw in 2023 on an absolute stinker of a pitch at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
“This game is a good opportunity for Popovic to show what he’s learned (if anything),” emails James Paraskevas. “The honeymoon period is over. Our last game at home against a Japan C Team playing for nothing in qualifying left a lot to be desired. We need to be better than that. We’ve got good enough players to be playing some sort of football, whilst still remaining responsible at the back. Popovic hasn’t found that balance yet, and is probably underestimating us and overestimating the opposition at the same time. Because of this, I see a 2-0 victory for Mexico. We could maybe get one goal, but the players need to be allowed some freedom.”
Jack Snape has the latest on the permutations facing Socceroos coach Tony Popovic as he whittles his squad down to 26. His decision making has been complicated significantly by an untimely hamstring injury to key midfielder Riley McGree.
Popovic was poised to deploy McGree in one of the hybrid midfielder/winger roles in his 3-4-2-1 system. One of Mabil, Leckie, Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle and Nestory Irankunda is likely to be the beneficiary of McGree’s absence.
Thai Tran has offered his thoughts on Australia’s matchday squad.
“Very surprised to see Yengi not on the substitute list. Given the fact that he has never played under Popovic I would assume that the best way to integrate a player is to get them minutes in a high pressure game with 70,000 + fans. I think Borrello and Gauci not being there may be a sign they will not be in the final squad tomorrow.
I think Metcalfe and Leckie are being given an opportunity. They haven’t played much this season and playing in a high pressure game will give a clearer indication of their ability and where they’re at. Irankunda and Boyle are already proven. I believe Tony has made his mind up on them much more given they have been playing much more games at a very good level. I think this sort of logic is why Herrington is playing, to build some more depth in the squad.”
Australia XI
Mathew Leckie makes his first appearance in two years and Harry Souttar returns after 18 months out of the reckoning. Major opportunity for MLS-based 18 year old Lucas Herrington to stake his claim for a World Cup starting spot in defence. Herrington is representative of a comparatively inexperienced team with only Leckie, Jackson Irvine, and Mat Ryan accumulating more than 37 international caps.
1. Mat Ryan (c), 23. Jacob Italiano, 3. Alesandro Circati, 19. Harry Souttar, 26. Lucas Herrington, 5. Jordy Bos, 13. Aiden O’Neill, 22. Jackson Irvine, 8. Connor Metcalfe, 7. Mathew Leckie, 9. Mo Toure.
Subs: Everyone else in the squad, apart from Cristian Volpato, Tete Yengi, Brandon Borrello, and Joe Gauci.
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Mexico XI
1. Raúl Rangel, 2. Jorge Sánchez, 7. Luis Romo, 5. Johan Vasquez, 4. Edson Alvarez (c), 20. Mateo Chavez, 8. Alvaro Fidalgo, 24. Luis Chávez, 26. Guillermo Martínez, 10. Alexis Vega, 17. Orbelín Pineda.
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It is fitting the Socceroos are in the US for their pre-tournament friendlies because MLS has become a proving ground for Australian internationals. Jack Snape has more.
Lucas Herrington was once dubbed a “baby giraffe” for his gangly frame, but he has emerged as a genuine bolter for the Socceroos’ World Cup squad. While the 18-year-old’s rapid growth has been a shock, his increasing favour with coach Tony Popovic is more than a reflection of his quality as a footballer.
Now proving his potential against the likes of Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller in MLS, Herrington is proof of how Australian football has become reliant on the United States, in terms of both talent development and financial survival.
Today’s venue is one of the great stadiums of the world.
Raúl Vilchis explains how Mexico are looking inward to rekindle the spirit of 1986 as they prefer for their third World Cup hosting experience.
Mexico have played six times this year, but only half of those have come with their full-strength squad. Their Europe-based players were missing for their most recent match, last week’s 2-0 win over Ghana. But Ghana fielded a weakened team too, and their coach, Carlos Queiroz, didn’t even attend the game.
Fernández and others also believe there are deeper problems that can’t be fixed with a month of extra training sessions. The roots of these deficiencies lie in top-level decisions made since the team’s failure at Qatar 2022, when El Tri crashed out in the group stage, their worst finish at a World Cup in four decades. The insularity of Mexican soccer means young players often stay at home rather than gain valuable experience in the top European leagues. The decision to end promotion and relegation in Liga MX also means a lack of jeopardy that can sharpen players’ edges.
Jack Snape sets the scene from an Australian perspective, with Tony Popovic 90 minutes of action away from determining his World Cup 26.
The World Cup might have snuck up on many Australians, but the reality of the men’s football showpiece will leap out on Sunday, take hold of the nation and not let go for a month. The Socceroos play co-hosts Mexico in Los Angeles’ historic Rose Bowl in one of the marquee warm-up matches ahead of a tournament shared across North America that is now bursting with 48 teams.
The Mexico showdown serves as a challenge for Australia against elite, motivated opposition. But for a handful of Socceroos, this weekend is also a test to see whether or not they will be allowed to stay in the US. It won’t be visa issues that send them home, rather it will be coach Tony Popovic telling them they haven’t made his final cut.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of this World Cup warm-up match between Mexico and Australia. Kick-off at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena is 7pm Saturday local time (12pm Sunday AEST).
Today’s fixture is the penultimate pre-World Cup friendly for both countries and the final opportunity for the two head coaches to run the rule over their charges before announcing their official 26-man squads.
El Tri open the 2026 World Cup in under a fortnight at the refurbished Azteca Stadium against South Africa. After today they have a further friendly against Serbia to fine tune their preparations.
The Socceroos have a midweek assignment against Switzerland, by which time Tony Popovic will have cut four members of his 30-strong tour party.
Until the eve of today’s contest that party was 29-strong but stocks have been bolstered by the decision of Sydney-born Italy-U21 representative Cristian Volpato to nominate for Australia. Unable to play today, his presence at the World Cup seems all-but assured.
There is plenty to get through before kick-off so I will be back shortly. In the meantime, please send me your emails on any thoughts around squad selections, this contest, or the World Cup in general. The address is jonathan.howcroft.casual@guardian.co.uk.
