Why isn't Christian Pulisic starting tonight for the USMNT against Turkey? | OneFootball

Just hours before the USMNT plays its final group match against Turkey, Mauricio Pochettino has plenty of decisions to make.

The first is whether to rotate the squad against the Turkish side, no matter what happens, the US has already secured first place in the group.

The second concerns Christian Pulisic and his fitness after he did not play a single minute against Australia last week.

Despite this concern, Captain America said he has recovered from his injury, and it's up to Pochettino if he puts him in the starting lineup or on the bench.

So, is Christian Pulisic playing tonight against Turkey in the USMNT's final group match?

The reality is that the AC Milan star has recovered from his injury, as the player confirmed during his post-match press conference following the win over Australia.

However, the Argentine manager knows that with nothing meaningful at stake, he can afford to rest his regular starters to avoid injuries and make sure they are fresh for the Round of 32.

With the lineups now confirmed, what everyone expected has become reality. Mauricio Pochettino left the USMNT's No. 10 on the bench.

The US starting lineup against Turkey is: Matt Turner, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, Auston Trusty, Joseph Scally, Weston McKennie, Sebastian Berhalter, Brenden Aaronson, Giovanni Reyna, Timothy Weah, Ricardo Pepi.

He is expected to play a few minutes, as Pulisic has not played since the first half against Paraguay, before being substituted due to a knock to his calf.

The match is expected to follow the script, with the United States controlling possession while Turkey relies on a compact defensive shape and physical strength in one-on-one situations.

However, if the game remains level or becomes complicated, Mauricio Pochettino could turn to Christian Pulisic in the second half to give the USMNT a much-needed spark.