Christian Pulisic ruled out of crucial USA World Cup clash against Australia

United States (U.S.) suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial FIFA World Cup clash against Australia after star forward Christian Pulisic was ruled out due to injury.

The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) confirmed that Pulisic would miss the Group D encounter on Friday after failing to recover from a calf injury sustained during the team's opening World Cup match against Paraguay. 

The injury concern had dominated discussions throughout the week as the American captain trained separately from his teammates while undergoing rehabilitation.

Pulisic was substituted at halftime during the United States' 4-1 victory over Paraguay after receiving a kick to his left calf. Although team officials initially remained optimistic about his recovery, the AC Milan forward was ultimately deemed unavailable for the showdown against Australia.

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed the decision shortly before kickoff, while expressing confidence that the winger's condition was improving. According to reports, Ricardo Pepi replaced Pulisic in the starting lineup as the only change made by the American side.

The absence of the 27-year-old is a significant blow for the hosts, who entered the tournament with high expectations. Pulisic played a key role in the victory over Paraguay, registering an assist and helping create another goal before being forced off due to discomfort.