ATLANTA (AP) — As the World Cup nears, Christian Pulisic's scoreless streak for the United States stretched to a career-high eight games.
“It's frustrating, but I’m just going to stay positive,” he said after Tuesday night's 2-0 loss to Portugal in a friendly. “A lot of big things ahead, and I know I’m going to get to the other side.”
Pulisic hasn't scored an international goal since a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Jamaica on Nov. 18,
2024, and he's scoreless in 12 games with AC Milan since Dec. 28.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino moved the 27-year-old from a wing to striker for the first time since taking over in October 2024 in an effort to get him more chances closer to goal. Pulisic had 28 touches, up from 24 in the first half of Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Belgium.
Pulisic missed the ball on an open volley from a Tim Weah cross in the 22nd minute and was just wide from outside the penalty area in the 36th. Pulisic got a yellow card for dissent in first-half stoppage time for kicking Samú Costa after he was pushed off the ball.
“He was very active and I think he made a good job,” Pochettino said. “Unlucky or ashamed a little bit that he didn’t score with the opportunity that he (had). It’s normal."
With 32 goals in 84 international appearances over a decade, Pulisic is the top American player. He scored 10 goals in his first 15 appearances for AC Milan this season.
“Yes, he feels frustrated, but that is what we want, what we expect. He was fighting,” Pochettino said. “He’s going to score because he has the quality. I am sure that he’s going to come back to his club. ... He's going to start to score again.”
Preparing to co-host the World Cup in June, the U.S. has lost eight straight games to European opponents while getting outscored 22-6. It is winless against the continent in 10 matches since 2021.
“Both first halves, and we caused the teams a lot problems. We put a lot pressure on them. We did a lot great things," Pulisic said. “Just little moments or just being a little bit more clinical and it’s just the same story but I feel really close and I feel like we’re in a good place.”
Pochettino announces his World Cup roster on May 26, and the Americans play their last warmups against Senegal five days later and Germany on June 6. They open the World Cup on June 12 against Australia, face Paraguay a week later and close the first round against Turkey on June 25.
Pulisic thought back to the last two games before the 2022 World Cup, a 2-0 loss to Japan and a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. At the tournament, the U.S. tied Wales and England, then beat Iran 1-0 on a goal from Pulisic to advance before a round of 16 loss to the Netherlands.
“I remember people were doubting us after that camp,” he said of the September 2022 friendlies. “Maybe we didn’t have a great camp, and at the end of the day, we go in, we have a great World Cup. It’s all behind us. So like I said, better now, and we’re going to figure it out. We’re going to figure it out when it really counts.”
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