In what has come as a massive relief for American football fans, United States talisman Christian Pulisic handed a significant fitness boost to his side by returning to training on Monday. The AC Milan playmaker had missed the team’s previous FIFA World Cup group fixture due to a nagging calf injury.Pulisic was seen participating in warm-up routines and ball drills during the 15-minute training window open to the media in Orange County. While the US team management chose not to issue a formal medical update on the midfielder, his presence on the grass alongside his teammates remains an incredibly encouraging sign for head coach Mauricio Pochettino.The 27-year-old superstar has been limited to just one dynamic half of football in the tournament so far. He heavily orchestrated the hosts’ tournament-opening 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay, catalysing two first-half goals before being subbed off at half-time due to a calf tightness he had initially picked up in training prior to the opener.Consequently, Pulisic was forced to watch from the sidelines as a clinical US squad cruised past Australia 2-0 in Seattle last Friday. Having spent the intervening days confined to isolated gym sessions, resistance training, and light individual ball work, his return to the main squad suggests his rehabilitation is well on track.
Focus on the Knockout Frontier
“It’s a tough situation when you’re going through a small, little knock,” US teammate Alex Zendejas remarked on Monday. “It’s an important tournament where obviously everyone wants to be out there at 100 per cent. But we don’t talk about the injury; we just try to get his mind off it and be there for him.”The Americans have already enjoyed a dream run, wrapping up the top spot in Group D with a game to spare. This makes their final group fixture against an already-eliminated Turkey at the SoFi Stadium on Thursday night a mere formality.With the pressure completely off for the group-stage finale, Pochettino is expected to rest Pulisic to ensure he reaches peak fitness ahead of their crucial Round of 32 knockout clash on July 1 in Santa Clara, California. Meanwhile, midfielder Cristian Roldan missed the workout session as he nurses a strained muscle.