Adams insists Pulisic 'will be ready' for USA's World Cup clash with Australia despite calf concern

Christian Pulisic trained individually at Great Park in Irvine on Monday, working in the gym before completing solo field work, after the USA’s 4-1 opening World Cup victory over Paraguay on Friday left the AC Milan forward with a sore left calf. Despite the concern, midfielder Tyler Adams was unequivocal about his teammate’s availability for the Group B clash with Australia in Seattle on Friday.

“Come on, Christian will be ready,” Adams said with a chuckle before the squad trained together for the first time since the Paraguay win. “Everyone, let’s relax.”

Pulisic had set up the USA’s first two goals before being withdrawn at halftime, with coach Mauricio Pochettino later revealing that the 27-year-old “could not walk when he finished the first half.” Pochettino clarified that the substitution was precautionary — the co-hosts were already leading 3-0 at the interval — and that Pulisic had picked up the knock in the days before the match before being caught in the same spot during the game.

Adams offered a straightforward explanation for the halftime deterioration. “He picked up a knock a few days before the game, and I think he got kicked in the same spot again during the game,” he said. “And when you go into halftime, things obviously get tight within the 15-20 minute break. He’ll be fine.”

Despite Pochettino’s stark description of Pulisic’s condition at the final whistle, the Pennsylvania native was not visibly limping when he walked to a post-match microphone roughly 30 minutes after the game ended. Starters went through a light regeneration session on Saturday ahead of a team barbecue at the squad’s hotel, and photographs from the event showed Pulisic’s leg untaped.

Pochettino gave the squad Sunday off for mental and physical recovery before Monday’s session, at which the remaining 25 players trained as a group while Pulisic worked separately. The USA’s second Group B fixture against Australia takes place in Seattle on Friday.