News Focus
- Christian Pulisic remains a major doubt for the USA’s second group game against Australia in Seattle
- The winger suffered a blow to his left calf during the 4-1 win over Paraguay last Friday
- He has trained separately from the main squad for three consecutive days in Irvine, California
- Manager Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether to risk his star player or preserve him for the knockout stages
- Several squad members including Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah are on standby to replace him
Christian Pulisic watched from the sidelines as his United States teammates completed their warm-up routines at their training base in Irvine, California. This marked the third consecutive day that the AC Milan forward has worked separately from the main group ahead of Friday’s crucial Group D meeting with Australia.
The 27-year-old limped out of last Friday’s opening 4-1 triumph against Paraguay midway through the first half. An opponent’s boot caught the back of his leg, forcing his withdrawal at the interval. Since then, medical staff have restricted him to light individual drills and modified sessions whilst he wears protective compression support on his left calf.
US Soccer officials describe the situation as a “daily assessment”. Manager Mauricio Pochettino will address the media on Thursday, though the starting eleven will remain secret until one hour before kick-off at the stadium in Seattle.
Brenden Aaronson expressed hope that Pulisic will recover in time. “We all want him back for this fixture,” the midfielder stated. “He will push hard to make himself available. We must wait and see what the medical team decides.”
The Americans and Australia both sit on three points in Group D. The USA holds a superior goal difference after their convincing opening win. However, finishing top of the group could provide an easier route through the knockout phase.
Antonee Robinson, who operates on the left side of defence alongside Pulisic, stressed the need for patience. “This tournament lasts many weeks,” the defender noted. “If he misses this match, we ensure he returns fully fit for the later rounds. We possess excellent options on the bench who are eager to contribute.”
Should Pulisic fail to recover, Pochettino can choose from several alternatives. Sebastian Berhalter replaced him against Paraguay, whilst Gio Reyna, Tim Weah and local favourite Christian Roldan of Seattle Sounders offer additional attacking threat.
Tim Weah praised his colleague’s quality. “He ranks among the world’s best wide players,” the forward said. “His skill against Paraguay showed his value to our attack. We hope he plays, but the squad possesses enough depth to cope with his absence.”
Pulisic carries painful memories of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where he suffered a pelvic injury scoring the decisive goal against Iran. He missed the subsequent knockout defeat to the Netherlands after hospital checks.
With the tournament hosted on home soil, Pulisic desperately wants to feature against the Socceroos. However, the physical nature of Australia’s style concerns the coaching staff. The teams last met in October, when Pulisic also exited early following a heavy tackle.
The final decision rests with Pochettino and the medical department. They must balance the desire to win the group against preserving their key asset for deeper stages of the competition.