Heading into last night’s 1-1 draw at home to Canada, USMNT Coach Gregg Berhalter said his captain, Christian Pulisic, would be a game time decision. It was certainly gamesmanship by the USA head man, as Pulisic started, captained and played the entire game.
Heading into this international break, Pulisic’s coach on the club level, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, said he’d hoped his star winger would get some minutes over the internationals. Pulisic had been out of action, for both club and country, since testing positive for covid-19 back on August 18.
#USA #USAvCAN
I know McKennie, Steffen, Reyna and Dest were all out, but still….. https://t.co/F86LN5xX7H pic.twitter.com/3SAPSIlcPM— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) September 6, 2021
As he’s fully vaccinated, it was a so-called breakthrough infection, and he never developed any serious symptoms from contracting the virus.
Pulisic came to play last night, but unfortunately, he had little to no help in the attacking third. Yes, the Stars and Stripes were without several key players: Gio Reyna (hamstring injury), Zack Steffen (covid-19 positive), Weston McKennie (broke team rules regarding virus protocols) and Sergino Dest (ankle injury).
However, there is simply no excuse for the USA to not get a victory at home, one they desperately need after also settling for a draw (goalless in El Salvador, a match Pulisic missed) earlier this international period.
They have to take care of business at home, there is no way around that, in order to qualify for the World Cup and redeem the disaster of not qualifying in 2018.
At least Pulisic is fully fit now, after having to take a few weeks off, and he is available for selection by Tuchel on Saturday against Aston Villa when Premier League play resumes.
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Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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