ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� As the World Cup nears, Christian Pulisic’s scoreless streak for the United States stretched to a career-high eight games.
鈥淥f course it’s frustrating, but I鈥檓 just going to stay positive,鈥� he said after Tuesday night’s in a friendly. 鈥淎 lot of big things ahead, and I know I鈥檓 going to get to the other side and things are going to click.鈥�
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鈥檚 .
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 Sam煤 Costa after he was pushed off the ball.
鈥淗e was very active and I think he made a good job,鈥� Pochettino said. 鈥淯nlucky or ashamed a little bit that he didn鈥檛 score with the opportunity that he (had). It鈥檚 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.
鈥淵es, he feels frustrated, but that is what we want, what we expect. He was fighting,鈥� Pochettino said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to score because he has the quality. I am sure that he鈥檚 going to come back to his club. … He’s going to start to score again.鈥�
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.
鈥淏oth 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. 鈥淛ust little moments or just being a little bit more clinical and it鈥檚 just the same story but I feel really close and I feel like we鈥檙e in a good place.鈥�
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.
鈥淚 remember people were doubting us after that camp,鈥� he said of the September 2022 friendlies. 鈥淢aybe we didn鈥檛 have a great camp, and at the end of the day, we go in, we have a great World Cup. It鈥檚 all behind us. So like I said, better now, and we鈥檙e going to figure it out. We鈥檙e going to figure it out when it really counts.鈥�
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