USA beat Canada 4-0 in their final World Cup qualifying game at SoFi Stadium but US fans will be steeling themselves for a tighter contest on Thursday.
SoFi Stadium hosts the Stars & Stripes' opening match of the finals against Paraguay, who have struggled in games of such magnitude.
They edged past Austria 2-1 and Ukraine 1-0 to reach the 2022 World Cup and thumped Finland 4-1 in the Euro 2024 qualifying playoff semi-final.
But USA lost on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in the final against Poland and a positive approach will be vital if they are to see off Paraguay.
Craig Bellamy took over a team who had just drawn 0-0 with Gibraltar and lost 4-0 to Slovakia in a couple of dismal friendly displays in June 2024.
Bellamy's commitment to high-intensity, attacking football was rewarded with a nine-game unbeaten run at the start of his reign.
USA were outclassed in a 3-0 friendly loss to England in October but their only competitive defeats under Bellamy were 4-3 and 4-2 reverses against Group J winners Belgium.
Backing USA to win a game featuring over 2.5 goals looks a good bet as Brennan Johnson, David Brooks and the prolific Harry Wilson bring Premier League quality to their forward line.
Paraguay are still heavily reliant on the 40-year-old Edin Dzeko, now playing for Schalke in the German second division, and USA should make home advantage count.
Paraguay needed a 66th-minute Dzeko goal to seal a 1-0 home win over San Marino in June 2025 and blew a 2-0 lead in October's 2-2 draw in Cyprus.
They clinched second place behind Group H winners Austria with a 3-1 home win over Romania but the score was level at 1-1 before Denis Dragus was sent off for the visitors in the 67th minute.
Paraguay's 2024-25 Nations League results included heavy away defeats against the Netherlands (5-2) and Germany (7-0) and they may struggle to deny USA a home playoff final against Italy or Northern Ireland.