06/25/26 08:46:00
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06/25 20:42 CDT US keeps Pulisic on bench, sends out 9 new starters vs. Turkey
in World Cup group finale
US keeps Pulisic on bench, sends out 9 new starters vs. Turkey in World Cup
group finale
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) --- The United States kept Christian Pulisic on the
bench and sent out nine new starters for its final World Cup group match
against Turkey on Thursday night with its knockout-round place already secured.
The American team has already won its group and clinched a matchup with
Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 next week, so coach Mauricio Pochettino
used this meaningless final match to give playing time to the second string on
his 26-man squad.
The Americans kept Pulisic on the bench to begin the match along with the four
key U.S. players who have already picked up yellow cards: striker Folarin
Balogun, Tyler Adams and top defenders Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards.
Pulisic said this week that he is ready to play again after coming out at
halftime with a calf injury in the Americans' 4-1 victory over Paraguay to open
their home World Cup nearly two weeks ago. Pochettino said Wednesday he hadn't
decided how to use Pulisic against Turkey, but suggested he might play part of
the game.
Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi were the only starters in the lineup against
Turkey who also started the Americans' 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle
last week. McKennie, the U.S. captain against Turkey, was the only player to
start all three group matches, while Pepi remained in the lineup after
replacing Pulisic against the Socceroos.
Pochettino also swapped out starting goalkeeper Matt Freese for Matt Turner,
who was the Americans' starter for all four matches at the Qatar World Cup four
years ago.
The new starters were Turner, Auston Trusty, Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson, Miles
Robinson, Sebastian Berhalter, Tim Weah, Mark McKenzie and Joe Scally.
Turner, Aaronson, McKenzie and Miles Robinson all got their first playing time
at this World Cup.
The U.S. faces Bosnia on Wednesday, July 1, in Santa Clara, California.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup
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