SEATTLE (AP) — U.S. star Christian Pulisic will miss Friday’s World Cup match against Australia because of a calf injury and was replaced in the starting lineup by Ricardo Pepi.
United States coach Mauricio Pochettino made the announcement during an interview with Fox about 90 minutes before the kickoff at Lumen Field in Seattle. On Thursday, Pochettino said Pulisic is in a “much better” spot than he was last Friday, and that he would be available for the Americans’ next game against Turkey if he could not play against Australia.
“Today, he was training in the morning in the camp and I’ve seen the feelings are good,” Pochettino told Fox on Friday. “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 focused on our team and the players that are going to play.”
The move is a setback for a U.S. team that defeated Paraguay 4-1 in its opener on June 12 and with a win would clinch advancement to the round of 32.
Pulisic left the game at halftime after helping create the opening goal by splitting a pair of defenders before passing to Weston McKennie, then setting up Folarin Balogun for the second goal.
Pochettino said the 27-year-old attacker was kicked in the back of his left calf during a training session ahead of the game and felt tightness during the match. Pulisic trained on his own in the leadup to the game against Australia.
Pulisic has 33 goals in 87 international appearances.
Pepi was the only addition to the U.S. starting lineup. Pochettino decided to insert the 23-year-old striker, who was one of the final cuts from the 2022 World Cup roster, over a few other accomplished players.
Brenden Aaronson, a winger who had four goals and five assists for Leeds last season, and Tim Weah, a Marseille forward who can impact a game with his speed on either wing, both remain on the bench.
Gio Reyna, who scored the Americans’ final goal against Paraguay and has provided moments of dynamic playmaking from the wing, will be a reserve once again.
With Pepi in for Pulisic, the U.S. hopes to reward its supporters and justify the wave of momentum that is building around the team.
“What excites me is that the entire world, the entire nation is behind us,” midfielder Cristian 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.”
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