While coach Pim Verbeek sees the USA match as a training exercise, Socceroos enforcer Vincenzo Grella views the FIFA World Cup warm-up international much more competitively.
"All top-level athletes want to win,'' Grella said. "You can't play at this level if you're not a strong competitor."
"We want to have a good game, sure. We know the legs won't be as fresh as we want them to be - that's part of the preparation. But we're looking to have a positive game.''
Verbeek looks set to field his best available 11 in Australia's final pre-World Cup hitout at Roodepoort - most likely featuring many of the same nine first-choices who started and performed well in the 1-0 win over Denmark.
Harry Kewell is unlikely to be considered again as he has just started full training after his groin problems, while Brett Emerton may not be risked because of his calf strain.
Again the Socceroos will go into a match carrying fatigue from a gruelling week's training camp at altitude, before they taper off the workload leading into the World Cup opener against Germany in Durban on 14 June.
But midfield enforcer Grella admits he is enjoying the rugged sessions and regular matches.
He has spent the past two seasons battling a succession of niggling injuries at English Premier League club Blackburn, limiting him to just 25 appearances.
"I feel good. I haven't trained this many days in the last two years,'' Grella joked. "For me, I'm enjoying the football, I'm enjoying training."
''(The US game) is an important part of the preparation. We are looking forward to the game. We want to make sure we perform well, and it's good to get that confidence before we get ready for the Germany game.''
Grella has been heavily linked with a move away from England to Turkish club Galatasaray, where he would join fellow Aussies Kewell and Lucas Neill.
But Grella isn't keen to discuss club speculation going into the World Cup.
"It's pretty bad timing. I didn't really want to get into these questions in a World Cup, such an important time in my football season," he said.
USA will provide a stiff test for the Socceroos, and is favoured to make the World Cup's knockout stage, drawn in the same group as England, Algeria and Slovenia.
USA goes into the tournament ranked above Australia at 14 in the world and hastasted success in South Africa before, having made a surprise appearance in the 2009 Confederations Cup final - which was held in South Africa.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/2010-world-cup/news/1006197/Big-test-for-Socceroos