Pulisic's World Cup Warm-up
Pulisic Returns to US Lineup in World Cup Loss to Turkey, Prepares for Crucial Games
Christian Pulisic made his return to the U.S. men's national team on June 25, playing as a substitute in a World Cup loss to Turkey at SoFi Stadium. It was his first match action in 13 days, after a left calf injury forced him off at halftime of the opener against Paraguay on June 12. AP News reported Turkey's Kaan Ayhan scored the winner in the 90th-plus-8th minute — the final kick of the game — to hand the U.S. its first loss of the tournament.
The result stings, but the stakes were low by design. The U.S. had already clinched first place in Group D with 6 points and Turkey had already been eliminated. Coach Mauricio Pochettino made nine lineup changes, and Pulisic's roughly 30 minutes on the pitch was the night's real headline. The U.S. now faces Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara.
Pulisic's Calf Injury Sidelined Him Since June 12
Pulisic looked sharp in the U.S. opener, picking up an assist and helping create a second goal in the 4-1 win over Paraguay. Then he hobbled off at halftime with a left calf injury. AP News noted he had actually taken a hard kick to the calf in training before the Paraguay game, which made the injury worse during the match. He missed the 2-0 win over Australia on June 19, sitting on the bench as an unused substitute.
By June 22, Pulisic was back in full team training in Orange County, working through warmups and ball drills. Three days later, he entered the Turkey game in the 58th minute to a massive roar from a sellout crowd of more than 70,000 at SoFi Stadium, according to Yahoo Sports.
A Highlight Return Ends With a Painful Nutmeg
Pulisic looked immediately comfortable after coming on, helping the U.S. create several dangerous attacks. But the night's sharpest moment cut against him. In stoppage time, Turkey's rising star Arda Güler nutmegged Pulisic — slipped the ball right through his legs — and set up the winning goal. Pulisic was honest about it afterward. "It was a tough way to end for us, for sure," he told AP News.
Still, Pulisic kept it positive about his physical state. "I felt good, so it was really nice to be back with the team and get some minutes," he said, per AP News. Coach Pochettino agreed. "His goal was to get some minutes to be ready for next week," Pochettino said. "I'm happy because I think he made a good impact when he was on the pitch."
Pochettino's Nine-Change Gamble Was Deliberate
With the U.S. already locked into first place, Pochettino used the Turkey game as a rest day for his key players. Four starters — Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, and Folarin Balogun — were sitting on yellow cards. A second booking against Turkey would have triggered an automatic suspension for the Round of 32. By benching them, Pochettino kept his full squad available for Bosnia, according to AP News.
Captain for the night Weston McKennie said the loss should fuel the team. "That's going to motivate us even more to try and prove the first two games weren't just a coincidence," McKennie said, per AP News. The U.S. finished Group D with 6 points despite the defeat. Bosnia-Herzegovina advanced from Group B with 4 points and a minus-1 goal difference.
Bosnia Awaits as the Knockout Stage Begins July 1
The U.S. faces Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1, at 8:00 PM ET at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara. Bosnia's 40-year-old veteran striker Edin Dzeko — the country's all-time leading scorer with 73 international goals — is the primary threat to neutralize. A win would send the U.S. to Seattle for a Round of 16 match on July 6, where Spain or France could be waiting in later rounds, according to Yahoo Sports.
This is the first time the U.S. has hosted the World Cup since 1994, and home-field advantage has been a real factor. The team has stayed in the LA, Seattle, and San Francisco corridor for the entire group stage, per AP News. With Pulisic healthy, key players rested, and yellow-card threats cleared, Pochettino's calculated risk against Turkey appears to have paid off — at least on paper.
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