Christian Pulisic trains separately for fourth straight day, could miss US World Cup game against Australia
SEATTLE — Christian Pulisic trained apart from his United States teammates on Thursday for the fourth straight day because of his left calf injury, and it is unclear whether he will be available to face Australia on Friday in Seattle in the Americans’ second World Cup game.
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US coach Mauricio Pochettino said Pulisic is in a “much better” spot than he was last Friday, when he came off at halftime of the Americans’ 4-1 victory over Paraguay after feeling stiffness from a calf injury incurred in training. Pochettino said Pulisic’s availability would be determined after he and his assistant coaches meet with the team’s performance staff on Thursday night.
“We’ll see,” Pochettino said. “At the moment, we’ll see. If he’s not available for tomorrow, he will be available for the next game.”
Pulisic did not work out with his teammates earlier in the week at their base in Orange County, nor did he Thursday morning at Husky Soccer Stadium on the University of Washington campus.
The AC Milan winger joined his US teammates for a pre-warmup huddle while wearing a compression sleeve on his calf, then went inside to do individual work in the gym. Ahead of Thursday’s training session, midfielder Weston McKennie said he did not know much about Pulisic’s recovery, but that he hopes he will be able to play.
“I know he really wants to be in, and he’s doing everything that he can, and the staff is doing everything that they can as well,” McKennie said. “But, that’s also another question that’s better to ask him than me.”
The 27-year-old Pulisic is the most accomplished US player. He helped create an own-goal by Paraguay in the opening minutes last Friday, and assisted on Folarin Balogun’s first of two goals.
His absence could hinder a team coming off its highest-scoring World Cup performance with a wave of momentum. Midfielder Cristian Roldan said the team is aware of the hype around the group and hopes to capitalize.
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“What excites me is that the entire world, the entire nation is behind us,” Roldan said. “I think that they enjoyed watching us play, and at the end of the day what we want to do is inspire and motivate the next generation. … We have to build off it, and that’s the truth. We can’t just talk about it: we have to show out against Australia.”
Should Pulisic not be fit to play against the Socceroos, Pochettino has a few options to replace him, though he did not identify any individual players on Thursday.
“At the moment, we are evaluating all possibilities just in case,” Pochettino said. “And then, we will decide if we have to go in one or another direction.”
The most likely choices appear to be Brenden Aaronson, a winger who had four goals and five assists for Leeds United last season, and Marseille forward Tim Weah, who can impact a game with his speed on either wing.
Pochettino’s other options for offense include Gio Reyna, who scored the Americans’ final goal against Paraguay and has provided moments of dynamic playmaking from the wing. Sebastian Berhalter came on at halftime for Pulisic in the opener, while starting midfielder Malik Tillman raised his already impressive game in Pulisic’s absence.
McKennie is hopeful the United States won’t have to turn to its reserves to replace Pulisic, and that he can continue to keep his head up during his recovery.
“I think mentally he’s great,” McKennie said. “I think it’s really hard for someone’s mental game to be messed up in these types of conditions in US soccer, and all the guys around, we’re a big family. So, we’re always there to pick someone up if they’re down, and excel them even further if they’re not. So, I think he’s doing good mentally.”
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