Pulisic calf doubt as Australia decider looms

Winner takes all Friday in LA

Beat Australia on Friday and you're through to the knockouts. Simple as that. The USMNT face the Socceroos in Los Angeles with a last-16 spot on the line, and the winner of this Group D clash secures their place (1). Folarin Balogun and Alex Freeman have powered your team's fast start on home soil. One more result and the group is yours.

Pulisic trains alone again, calf concern

Christian Pulisic has now trained individually for two straight days, working separately from the squad with a calf issue (2). No word yet from the USMNT camp on whether he will be ready for Friday. Losing him for a match of this magnitude would force a reshuffle across the front line.

Weah shrugs off Australia disrespect

Tim Weah is not interested in the noise. When US pundits labeled Australia "average" ahead of Friday's match, Weah brushed it off: "All this talk is just nonsense to me" (3). He added that the Socceroos are a serious opponent, name-checking Bayern Munich's Nestory Irankunda as a threat (3). Weah made clear he expects a proper contest.