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Pulisic's fitness is causing manager Mauricio Pochettino a headache ahead of the second group stage match of the 2026 World Cup. |
Following their 4-1 victory over Paraguay, the US national team became one of the most praised teams at the 2026 World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino's team played energetic, direct attacking football, giving the impression they could sweep away any opponent.
But the World Cup is always a tournament of continuous tests. An impressive victory can generate excitement, but it's not enough to confirm the class of a true contender. Against Australia in Seattle, the US team faced a completely different challenge. They were no longer up against an opponent willing to play an attacking game like Paraguay. Instead, they faced a pragmatic, disciplined, and extremely difficult team to play against.
The question mark named Pulisic
At this crucial time, a problem has emerged that is causing Pochettino a headache. Christian Pulisic, the most important player in the US national team's attack, only played 45 minutes in the match against Paraguay. In recent training sessions, the AC Milan striker has been training separately and not participating in ball drills with his teammates.
It wasn't a situation that would put the US team on high alert, but it was enough to cause concern. Pulisic isn't simply an attacking player. He's the link between midfield and attack, capable of stretching the opponent's defense with his speed, technique, and unpredictable moves.
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Christian Pulisic became the center of attention when he had to train separately ahead of the crucial match against Australia. |
Even without Pulisic, the US team still possesses many quality players. Max Arfsten, Gio Reyna, or Sebastian Berhalter could all feature in the starting lineup. However, it would be a different version of the home team.
More importantly, Pulisic's absence could force Pochettino to change his approach to the game.
The victory against Paraguay was built on a foundation of high-speed attacking play and relentless pressure. But against Australia, such a strategy could become a double-edged sword.
Australia is not glamorous, but it is extremely dangerous.
While the US was one of the most impressive teams after the first round of matches, Australia was among the less-noticed. Their 2-0 victory over Türkiye didn't generate much headline news. They didn't score many goals, nor did they dominate possession. However, Australia did the most important thing: completely neutralized their opponent's attack.
Arda Güler was expected to be the star leading Türkiye. But against coach Tony Popovic's tightly organized defense, the European team barely created any significant pressure.
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Australia defends with a large number of players, maintaining a well-organized formation and waiting for opponents' mistakes. It's a style of football that isn't appealing to neutral viewers, but it often proves effective in short tournaments.
Therefore, this could be a much more difficult match than what the US team experienced in their opening game. The biggest threat lies in transitional situations. In a game where the US is almost certain to have more possession, Australia only needs a few opportunities to make a difference.
Nestory Irankunda is a prime example of that philosophy. The Watford striker scored the winning goal against Türkiye and demonstrated excellent opportunism. He doesn't need much space to create danger.
Seattle, therefore, is more than just the venue for a group stage match. It's where the US team must prove they can win in many different ways. Big teams don't just attack when things go their way. They also need to know how to adapt when their most important star is absent and have the patience to break down deep defenses.
Paraguay helped the US team build confidence. Australia, however, is the opponent that will help fans accurately assess the host nation's position at the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://znews.vn/dung-de-australia-danh-lua-tuyen-my-post1661199.html
Source: https://www.vietnam.vn/dung-de-australia-danh-lua-tuyen-my
