Christian Pulisic will not feature for the U.S. men’s national team against Australia on Friday after a lingering calf injury kept him out again. The 27-year-old had spent much of the week in modified training away from teammates, and his absence leaves the USMNT without its most dangerous attacking option in a Group D game that carries real weight.
Mauricio Pochettino had said on Thursday that Pulisic was “much better than he was” and would be a gametime decision, but the coach ruled him out before kickoff. “Christian is not available. The evolution is really well,” he said. “Today, he was training in the morning in the camp and I’ve seen the feelings are good.”
Ricardo Pepi Takes The Spot
Ricardo Pepi replaced Christian Pulisic for the Australia match, and the move changed the shape of the U.S. attack. The PSV forward was likely to join Folarin Balogun up top, giving the lineup a different look from the one that beat Paraguay.
The swap for Pepi was the only change from the starting XI that beat Paraguay, which kept the rest of the group intact even with Pulisic unavailable. A week ago, he was removed as a precaution at halftime of the USMNT’s first game of the tournament against Paraguay, and that decision has now carried into Friday.
Group D And Seattle
The timing is the point. Friday’s match at Lumen Field in Seattle sits in Group D, and the winner is the overwhelming favorite to top the group and get a more favorable draw for the knockout stages. For a team built around Pulisic’s direct threat, that is a significant loss to absorb in one of the most important matches of the group phase.
Pochettino also said, “I hope as soon as possible he can be ready to be selected again and to be part of the team. Now, we need to be focussed on our team and the players that are going to play.” He added, “We have ahead a very important game and Australia is going to be really tough. A little bit sad because he wanted to stay, wanted to participate today.”
The U.S. next plays Turkey on Thursday back at SoFi Stadium to close Group D, and Pulisic’s status for that match was not settled by the Australia decision. His return will depend on whether the calf injury clears enough for him to rejoin the group after a week that kept him in modified work and out of Friday’s XI.
