World Cup standings today have already settled the biggest question for The United States: Group D is won, and Turkey is out before Thursday’s match at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles. The result will not change the bracket, but Mauricio Pochettino still has to decide how much risk to take with a squad that enters the final group game carrying both yellow-card and injury concerns.
Mauricio Pochettino’s lineup choice
Four U.S. players carry yellow cards into the last group-stage match: Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson. Under FIFA World Cup regulations, a player who gets two yellow cards in the three group-stage games is suspended for the next match, so another booking Thursday would put any of those four in danger of missing the round of 32.
The timing raises the stakes for Pochettino’s selection even though the standings are settled. The U.S. first knockout-round match is scheduled for July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif., so every minute Thursday has to be weighed against the chance of losing a starter for the next round.
Christian Pulisic’s calf issue
Christian Pulisic adds another layer. He missed Friday’s 2-0 win over Australia with a left calf injury suffered in the first half against Paraguay, and Pochettino said he is getting closer to contributing again. He also said Pulisic was training in the morning in the camp.
That leaves Pochettino balancing two needs at once. The match has no result consequence, but resting key players could also disrupt the rhythm The United States has built over the past few weeks.
Round of 32 on July 1
Yellow cards are wiped after the group stage and again after the quarterfinals, which makes Thursday the last group-stage chance for a suspension risk to matter. Gregg Berhalter’s advice on FanDuel Coaches’ Corner was direct: “I think you just do a return to play.”
Will Mauricio Pochettino rest the four yellow-carded starters and Christian Pulisic, or keep the team’s momentum intact before the round of 32?
