UMVA has learned that a major concern has emerged for the USA's World Cup campaign after Christian Pulisic was forced off at half-time during their 4-1 win over Paraguay.
The tournament co-hosts got their campaign off to a perfect start with a comprehensive victory at the SoFi stadium, but Pulisic's injury has cast a shadow over their celebrations. The AC Milan winger was bright in the first half, providing the assist for Folarin Balogun's first goal, before being withdrawn due to an issue with his left calf.
The USA's victory was sealed with a quickfire brace from Balogun and a superb finish from Gio Reyna in added time, but Pulisic's injury is the major talking point. The player himself has sought to ease concerns, saying he just got a bit of a kick in the first half and is hoping it's nothing, but his withdrawal has raised doubts about his availability for the team's second group game against Australia.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Pulisic's coach, Mauricio Pochettino, is also hopeful that the injury is not serious, saying that Pulisic received a kick in a training session before the game and could not walk after the first half. Pochettino is keeping his fingers crossed that Pulisic will be available for the next game, but the player's fitness will be closely monitored in the coming days.
The USA's second group game against Australia is just around the corner, scheduled for June 19 in Seattle, and Pulisic's presence will be crucial if the team is to build on their impressive start. With the stakes high, the USA will be holding their breath as they wait for news on Pulisic's injury, hoping that he will be fit to take the field and help his team progress to the next stage of the tournament.
As the USA prepares to face Australia, the team will be focusing on getting Pulisic back to full fitness, while also fine-tuning their strategy to take on their next opponents. With the World Cup heating up, the USA will need all their key players fit and firing if they are to make a deep run in the tournament. UMVA will be keeping a close eye on developments and bringing you all the latest news and updates as the story unfolds.
