Star forward Christian Pulisic is battling to recover from a calf injury, casting a shadow over his availability for the United States men's national team's pivotal World Cup encounter against Australia this Friday. Pulisic has been undergoing individual training sessions for a second consecutive day at the US training base in Orange County, with a team spokesman describing his condition as 'day to day'. Meanwhile, his teammates have been participating in full training sessions as preparations intensify for the upcoming match in Seattle.
Pulisic's importance to the squad was evident during the USA's World Cup opening 4-1 victory over Paraguay last Friday at SoFi Stadium. Despite being substituted at half-time, the AC Milan attacker delivered a stellar performance, providing an assist for Folarin Balogun's first goal and playing a crucial role in an own-goal through his relentless attacking play from the left wing. The injury, which originated from a kick to the back of his left calf during training last week, led to stiffness, prompting his precautionary removal from the match despite the USA already holding a commanding 3-0 lead.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that the decision to limit Pulisic's playing time was purely precautionary. Following the match, Pulisic expressed optimism regarding his recovery, stating, 'I’m hoping I’ll be fine the next few days. Just the back of my leg, sort of my calf area. I’m staying positive. I don’t think it’s anything.' His swift return would be a significant boost for a US side hoping to build on their impressive start.
The upcoming fixture against Australia is anticipated to be a stern test for the USA. Australia secured a 2-0 victory over Turkey in their opening group stage match and are expected to provide strong opposition in a game that could well determine which team tops Group D. Following their Seattle clash, the Americans are scheduled to return to Inglewood on 25th June to conclude their group stage campaign against Turkey.
Optimism is growing within the US camp that the current team possesses the potential to make history, potentially surpassing their previous best World Cup performance of reaching the Round of 16. Their dominant start against Paraguay has fuelled hopes that this squad could achieve a deeper run in the tournament, making Pulisic's fitness a critical factor in their aspirations.