Group D's opening games saw host nation USA and Australia come out on top, whilst Turkiye and Paraguay both put on disappointing displays. Find out one thing we learnt about each nation following these results below.
Group D got off to a memorable start in its first two games, seeing 7 goals scored across both fixtures, and a result that has thrown an underdog into contention for qualification.
The USMNT welcomed Paraguay to their World Cup with a 4-1 thrashing of the South American side, and cemented themselves as favourites to top the group going into the final two fixtures. Paraguay, on the other hand, will now be hoping to grind out results against both Australia and Türkiye to keep their qualification hopes alive.
However, the Socceroos proved once again why they are a team not to be written off, after defeating the Turks two-nil, in what can only be described as a defensive masterclass.
It has left the USA topping the group with the Aussies in second, which makes the game on Friday even more important, as the two sides face off in Seattle. The bottom two groups also meet on Friday, and the Crescent Stars will be expected to pickup a win against a wounded Paraguay side, and put themselves back in contention for qualification.
This article aims to identify one key takeaway for each nation after their first game, and explain how this could affect them and the other nations in Group D.
Pochettino has the USA firing up top
The Stars and Stripes kicked their World Cup campaign off to the best start in their opening match, by dismantling one of South America's most defensively sure sides during qualification. Folarin Balogun stole the headlines, picking up a brace in stunning fashion, and spearheading his nation to victory.
The States' frontline as a whole were seriously dangerous, and looked to be well-drilled by former Spurs and Chelsea boss, Mauricio Pochettino. The 54-year-old's time in America has divided fans, and it seems that hopes weren't high for USMNT's 'golden generation'.
However, Poch worked his magic in the first game of Group D and has marked his side as the team-to -beat. Speaking after the game, the Argentinian explained, “I think what was the key is to translate all that expectation and pressure into energy”.
Going forward, this was certainly the case, with both Christian Pulisic and Sergiño Dest constantly terrifying the Paraguayan full-backs, whilst Weston McKennie and Malick Tilman dominated the middle of the park. The States' press was devastating, and overwhelmed La Albirroja from the first whistle to the last.
It is clear what mindset and style Pochettino has brought to the States, and so far, it seems to be paying off. But it is important for fans of the Stars and Stripes to stay grounded, and take each game as it comes.
Players like Tyler Adams, Mckennie and Dest all benefit greatly from their manager's style, as it utilises their fitness, aiming to wear down the opponent through constant pressure. It also suits Balogun, who will be an outside contender for golden boot, if he can maintain his clinical finishing, and his teammates continue to provide him with chances.
If the USA can replicate a performance similar to their opener against Australia, it will almost certainly guarantee qualification and a top-spot finish. It will also send a message to the nation that they face in the knockout stage, and any doubters who wrote them off before the tournament began.
La Albirroja are not as defensively sound as predicted
Going into the World Cup, Paraguay were seen as a side that would be difficult to break down, due to their fantastic defensive record during qualification. This illusion was shattered after conceding 4 goals in their first game of the competition.
La Albirroja's backline completely crumbled after conceding an own goal within the first eight minutes of the match, which fueled their opponents drive for the rest of the 90, whilst seemingly decimating the South American side's confidence. Many had predicted the fixture to be a slow, low-scoring game with Paraguay frustrating the States, this turned out not to be the case.
Júnior Alonso and Juan José Cáceres both picked up yellow cards, and couldn't deal with the USMNT wingers throughout. The majority of USA's best chances came from a cut-back into the middle of the box, where midfielders were left unmarked and should have put more than four chances away.
It is a result that serves as a stark warning to Gustavo Alfaro and his men, if they continue to be so defensively fragile, it will be an extremely disappointing return to the World Cup for Paraguay.
Up next for La Albirroja are Turkiye, who will be desperate to get some points on the board and put in a good performance after falling to a 2-0 defeat against Australia. If Paraguay are hoping to get a result, they will have to rekindle the defensive spirit that saw them pickup wins against both Brazil and Argentina in qualifying.
Australia thrive when written off
The Socceroos proved once again why they are a nation that thrives off being labelled an underdog. Their 2-0 win over Turkiye demonstrated the immense grit that the Aussies bring to every tournament, and the never-say-die attitude which has led them to overachieve tournament after tournament.
Conor Metcalfe and Nestroy Irankunda's goals ensured the victory, but were only part of the reason why their nation managed to cause the tournament's first upset. Patrick Beach put in an inspired performance, making seven saves and keeping his country a clean sheet.
The 22-year-old made it a World Cup debut to remember, and the whole backline should be credited for putting their head where it hurts on multiple occasions, frustrating Türkiye's best technical players, including Real Madrid wonderkid Arda Guler.
The Socceroos have proven once again that they are a side that thrives off being labelled the underdog, and it was clear the players knew this beforehand. Australian centre-back Milos Degnek identified the amount of pressure on the Turks before the match, and told the press his nation 'would be ready', and they certainly were.
Tony Popovic will be delighted with his players, as they executed his gameplan to perfection, and have shown their gaffer that they can do it against one of the biggest nation's in Group D. This will fill Popovic with confidence going into Australia's next game against the Stars and Stripes, and the Aussie boss will be hoping his side can replicate a performance similar to their opening game.
Turkiye lack cutting edge in front of goal
Türkiye's opening game loss against Australia has left them in a tricky position going into their last two matches of the group stage. It was clear where the Crescent Stars struggled against the Socceroos, as they failed to put away any of their 28 shots, and looked generally toothless going forward.
The Turks dominated the ball with 63% possession, but their key creative outlets, Orkun Kökçü and Arda Güler, were kept quiet by a solid Australian press and low-block.
Türkiye's inability to break down a side who get bodies behind the ball could prove costly if they are hoping to qualify out of Group D in the two top spots, and is something that Vincenzo Montella will have to identify and improve upon before their game against Paraguay.
The Italian coach's team selection was questioned before the game began and his decision not to start Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız seemed to be a fatal error as he was brought on at half-time when his nation was already 1-0 down. However, the 21-year-old failed to make an impact on the match, failing to register a single shot for the Crescent Stars.
Turkiye face Paraguay in their next game in Group D, who will be a side that will be looking to shore up defensively after conceding four against the hosts, and if they manage to improve their backline, could pose as a tough challenge for the Turks.
