USA vs. Australia live updates: Christian Pulisic out for pivotal World Cup clash

While Pulisic’s absence is a blow, it also gives a chance for Pepi and Balogun to continue their fruitful partnership together.

Many thought that Aaronson or Weah would be a more natural replacement for Pulisic on the wing, but Pochettino has chosen to get another poacher on the field.

Aside from Pulisic’s injury, Pochettino has unsurprisingly gone with the same lineup as from the 4-1 win against Paraguay.

He won’t have many arguments there after the great performance that the team put together in LA.

The atmosphere for this matchup in Seattle looks tremendous, with both the USA and Australia looking to stay atop Group D.

Read more Christian Pulisic out for USMNT’s key group match vs. Australia

Who said the US isn’t a soccer country?

It’s a tough pill to swallow for Pulisic, but a full circle moment for Pepi, who gets his first World Cup start after being left out of the 2022 squad.

The striker’s inclusion alongside Folarin Balogun also indicates a possible change of system from Pochettino, with some projecting an old-school 4-4-2 or 4-4-2 diamond.

A huge blow for the USMNT, as Christian Pulisic is out with a calf injury which forced him to train alone all week. The forward was tremendous in the first half of the USA’s 4-1 win against Paraguay, but was removed after the first half and his status was in question all week.

We now have our answer, as Mauricio Pochettino tells Fox that Ricardo Pepi will start in place of him.

Lumen Field is one of the loudest stadiums on the planet. Seattle is arguably the most soccer-mad city in the country.

And it’s about to host the biggest game in its history, the U.S. national team taking on Australia Friday with first place in World Cup Group D at stake.

“Yeah, I fully expect this crowd to be extremely loud, and they’re going to energize our group. This is one of the loudest stadiums in the world, when you think about Seahawks or Sounders games,” Cristian Roldan said. “I fully expect the city of Seattle to come out and show out. The guys are going to feel that type of energy.”

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Probably has a mean left foot.

It’s gameday in Seattle, and World Cup fans are taking over the streets.

Expect a boisterous, pro-USMNT crowd in the Pacific Northwest.

There’s been a perception among the pundit class that Australia represents an easy opponent for the U.S. men’s national team.

That is far from the reality.

Australia, just like the USMNT, can clinch a spot atop Group D on Friday.

The U.S. needs a win and a Paraguay win or tie against Turkey later in the evening; Australia needs a win and a Turkey win or tie.

With the U.S. riding a 4-1 win over Paraguay in its opener, and having beaten Australia in a friendly back in October, the Americans are certainly the favorites Friday, but the match will be far from simple.

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