World Cup 2023: US and Germany Aim to Maintain Momentum

EAST RUTHERFORD, United States – The group stage is almost done, but the World Cup co-hosts are only just getting started.

On Thursday, the United States and Germany step out knowing their tickets to the last 32 are already punched and first place is secure. The task now is different: keep the edge, keep the rhythm, keep the fear factor.

US look to stay ruthless in Los Angeles

The United States have handled Group D with an authority rarely seen from them on this stage. Two games, two wins, top spot secured with a match to spare after beating Paraguay and Australia. The kind of platform that can turn hope into genuine expectation on home soil.

Turkey, already eliminated, await in Los Angeles. On paper, it’s a dead rubber. In reality, it’s a test of mentality.

Mauricio Pochettino has decisions to make. Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams and Folarin Balogun all walk the disciplinary tightrope, one yellow card away from missing the last 32. Rotation beckons, but not relaxation.

The mood inside the US camp is clear enough. Christian Pulisic, finally back to full fitness after a calf problem that has restricted him to just 45 minutes at this World Cup, wants no easing off.

“Going into the knockout rounds will definitely feel better with a win, so that's why we're going to push for it,” he said. “It's an amazing opportunity... We don't necessarily need a win, but it's a World Cup game, and we all want to give our best and do well.”

This is a team still chasing a landmark. The US have not reached the quarter-finals since 2002. A sharp, confident group phase has stirred belief that this could be the year they go deeper, roared on by home crowds and powered by a generation used to bigger stages.

Elsewhere in Group D, the stakes are far more raw. Australia and Paraguay meet in Santa Clara in what amounts to a play-off for second place. A draw would suit the Socceroos thanks to their superior goal difference, but the numbers suggest it could be enough for Paraguay as well. One game, two nervous benches, and calculators at the ready.

Nagelsmann’s Germany move with purpose

Over in Group E, Germany have already exorcised some demons. Back-to-back first-round exits at recent World Cups had scarred a proud football nation. This time, there has been no stumble.

Wins over Curacao and Ivory Coast have locked in top spot. Six points, momentum building, and a sense that Julian Nagelsmann’s side are playing with both freedom and focus.

“I'm very happy that we're not at the end of our journey yet, but it is very important that we remain modest,” Nagelsmann said. “We have won two matches, one was clear, one was very close. We want to win again tomorrow and we'll see who we play on Monday (in the last 32).”

Ecuador stand in their way next, and for them it’s all or nothing. Only a victory will keep them alive. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, are on track to finish second and will be heavily favoured against debutants Curacao, who are somehow still in contention after a stubborn 0-0 draw with Ecuador last time out. One more upset from the tournament newcomers would tear the script to shreds.

Group F on a knife-edge

If Groups D and E are about fine-tuning, Group F is about survival. The Netherlands, Japan and Sweden all walk into the final round with a shot at first place and the comfort that comes with it.

In Kansas City, the Dutch are handed what looks like a gift: a Tunisia side in freefall. Tunisia have conceded nine goals in two games, suffered back-to-back four-goal defeats, and fired coach Sabri Lamouchi after the opening 5-1 loss to Sweden. Herve Renard was parachuted in, but his debut brought a 4-0 defeat by Japan and an early exit from the tournament.

The Netherlands, level on four points with Japan, know they cannot afford any complacency. Goal difference and small margins could yet decide the order.

Japan, precise and relentless so far, meet Sweden in Arlington. The Swedes opened their campaign with a statement 5-1 win over Tunisia, only to be torn apart 5-1 by the Dutch. From swagger to shell-shock in 90 minutes. Now they need a response against a Japanese side that has already proved it can punish any lapse.

The prize for emerging from this chaos? A meeting with Brazil or Morocco in the last 32. No easy road, just different kinds of danger.

Brazil and Morocco set the bar

On Wednesday, Brazil laid down another marker in Group C. Vinicius Junior scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Scotland in Miami, a performance that underlined both his form and his growing status as the team’s sharpest weapon. Neymar returned to international duty for the first time since October 2023, adding another layer of intrigue to Carlo Ancelotti’s already loaded squad.

Top spot is theirs, and with it a date with the runners-up from Group F. Whoever emerges from that three-way fight will be greeted by yellow shirts and a wall of noise.

Morocco, edged out for first place on goal difference, did everything they could. They came from behind twice to beat Haiti 4-2 and finish on seven points, matching Brazil’s tally but not their goal return. Their reward is no consolation prize: a last-32 clash with the Group F winners and another chance to show they belong among the elite.

Scotland, beaten and outclassed by Brazil, now sit in limbo. Their hopes rest on the mathematics of being one of the eight best third-placed teams. For now, they wait.

Mexico, South Africa and Switzerland seize their moments

Co-hosts Mexico have no such anxieties. A 3-0 win over the Czech Republic in a bouncing Estadio Azteca sealed a perfect Group A record and sent them cruising into the last 32. The bonus is significant: their next knockout match will be played on the same pitch, in the same cauldron, with the same deafening backing.

The story of the day, though, belonged to South Africa. They had never reached the knockout rounds before. They have now. A 1-0 win over South Korea, against expectation and against the odds, delivered second place in Group A and a slice of history. One goal, one result, and a new chapter for a footballing nation that has waited a long time for this moment.

In Group B, Switzerland did what they so often do at major tournaments: found a way. A 2-1 victory over co-hosts Canada in Vancouver secured top spot and underlined their tournament nous. Bosnia-Herzegovina joined them in the last 32, beating Qatar 3-1 and claiming one of the coveted third-place slots.

The group stage is almost done. The margins are getting thinner, the stakes heavier. Some giants are flexing, some underdogs are refusing to blink.

Now comes the real test: who can turn a promising start into something unforgettable?