After suffering their first defeat of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, the USA Tomahawks now face the daunting task of taking on Australia's Kangaroos in the quarter-finals.
The USA topped Group D thanks to wins over the Cook Islands and Wales to become the first team to officially advance to the tournament's knockout stages, before going down 22-8 against a Scotland side playing for survival.
The Tomahawks will now take on Group A winners and World Cup favourites Australia in the Welsh city of Wrexham next weekend, and coach Terry Matterson said his side wouldn't be starstruck by the quality of their opposition.
Matterson, who has just extended his stay as an assistant coach with the North Queensland Cowboys, said he knew what to expect from the Kangaroos.
"I have studied their players every week for the past two years with the Cowboys," Matterson said.
"The way we have approached the three games, we don't talk about results. We just want a really good performance out of these guys next week.
"You learn playing the best.
"I don't need to go through their last three games. I have a fair idea what Cameron Smith can do.
"Our guys will not be starstruck."
American captain Joseph Paulo said his team would use the Kangaroos clash to show they could compete with the world's best.
"For the boys to take on the best in Australia, they just can't wait for the challenge," Paulo said.
"We are going out there to win."