Pulisic Exits U.S. 4-1 World Cup Opener After Calf Kick

Q: Did the USMNT's dominant win prove they can succeed without being overly reliant on their oft-injured superstar?

Yes — but only partially. The 4-1 win over Paraguay showed the USMNT is more balanced than in past cycles and can still dominate even when Christian Pulisic does not finish the match. After Pulisic set up Folarin Balogun and helped drive the first-half attack, the Americans still controlled the game after he went off at halftime, with Balogun finishing a brace and Gio Reyna adding another goal. That matters because it showed real production from multiple attackers rather than a one-man offense. The result also backed up what Mauricio Pochettino and players such as Tyler Adams have been saying: the team now has more weapons around Pulisic. Balogun’s emergence as a true scorer, Reyna’s creativity, and depth options such as Ricardo Pepi reduce the need for Pulisic to carry every decisive moment. The USMNT also appears to have contingency plans in key situations, including penalty duties, if Pulisic is unavailable. Still, the match did not prove the team can thrive entirely without him. Pulisic was excellent before the precautionary substitution, producing an assist and helping force the own goal in what was arguably the team’s best attacking stretch. Paraguay were also missing key talent, and one group-stage opener is not enough evidence against stronger opponents. So the bigger takeaway is not that the USMNT no longer needs Pulisic. It is that they finally look capable of winning convincingly without being completely dependent on him for every goal, chance and big moment.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 13

Halftime brought Christian Pulisic's early exit from the U.S. opener after the winger felt tightness in his left calf following a first-half kick.
Pulisic said the issue did not seem serious, and coach Mauricio Pochettino called the substitution precautionary, noting the same calf had already been kicked in training two days earlier.
Before coming off, Pulisic helped force the opening own goal and set up Folarin Balogun, whose two goals powered the Americans to a 3-0 halftime lead at SoFi Stadium.
The U.S. finished 4-1 over Paraguay after Giovanni Reyna scored late, and Pulisic said he hopes to be ready within days for the June 19 group match against Australia.