Pulisic Still Sidelined as USMNT Clinch Knockout Berth Without Him

The U.S. men’s national team is heading to the knockout round of the World Cup, and they did it without their biggest star on the field.

Christian Pulisic missed his second straight match Tuesday night as the USMNT beat Australia 2-0 in Group D play. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the game that Pulisic’s left calf injury is still not right, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be available for the group stage finale against Turkey next week.

“He’s an important player for us, Christian, but it was impossible today for him to play,” Pochettino said. “We hope that next game he will be available but if we want to win the competition we need the whole team and all the players need to be important.”

The U.S. didn’t exactly need him Tuesday. They jumped on Australia early, controlling the first half from the opening whistle. An own goal in the 11th minute gave them the lead, and then Alex Freeman — son of former Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman — made it 2-0 with a well-timed header off a rebound from Sergiño Dest’s shot outside the box.

How the U.S. locked up a Round of 16 spot

The win guarantees the Americans will advance out of the group no matter what happens against Turkey. That’s a huge weight off the team’s shoulders heading into the final group match. If Paraguay beats or ties Turkey later Friday, the U.S. can actually win the group with a draw against Turkey next week. If not, they just need to avoid a blowout loss.

Pulisic picked up the calf injury in the tournament opener against Portugal, and the team has been cautious with him ever since. He didn’t dress against Australia, and Pochettino’s postgame comments suggest the coaching staff is still playing the long game with their captain’s fitness.

Australia tried to get physical in the second half, bumping and pressing the U.S. midfield, but goalkeeper Matt Freese had a quiet night and kept the clean sheet. The Aussies never really threatened.

Freeman’s moment in the spotlight

Alex Freeman’s goal was the kind of story that makes the World Cup fun. His dad played 11 seasons in the NFL and made two Pro Bowls, but the younger Freeman is carving out his own path with the USMNT. His header off Dest’s shot showed good instincts and a willingness to crash the box — exactly what you need from a forward when the other team is packing it in.

The U.S. will take the result and the rest. They’ve got six points from two games, they’re through to the knockout stage, and they’ve got a week to figure out whether Pulisic can go against Turkey or if they’ll need to keep rolling without him.