Christian Pulisic, the American captain, gave way to Sebastian Berhalter when his team won 3-0. As the footballer himself explained after the match, the substitution responded to a precautionary measure after receiving a blow to the left calf area during the first half.
“I took a hit in the first half, so I hope it’s nothing. We took a precaution today, but I trust I’ll be fine in the coming days,” Pulisic declared.
The United States coach, Mauricio Pochettino, confirmed the player’s version. “He received a blow to his calf and at the end of the first half he began to feel tightness. We didn’t want to take risks,” said the Argentine coach.
Pochettino added that the footballer had already suffered a similar blow during training prior to the match. With a large lead on the scoreboard, the coaching staff opted to replace the attacker to avoid physical complications before the next group stage matches.
So far, the US team has not reported a serious injury and the player was optimistic about his recovery. In the match against Paraguay, Pulisic participated in offensive actions during the first half and collaborated in the development of his team’s game before leaving the field.
The United States began its participation in the World Cup with a 4-1 victory. The goals were the product of an own goal by Damián Bobadilla, a double by Folarin Balogun and a score by Giovanni Reyna. Paraguay discounted through Maurício.
The United States’ next match will be on June 19 against Australia, at 1:00 p.m. in Guatemala, at Seattle Stadium. They will later face Turkey on June 25, at 8:00 p.m. in Guatemala, at the Los Angeles Stadium.