SEATTLE, June 19 (Reuters) – United States winger Christian Pulisic will miss Friday’s Group D World Cup game against Australia due to injury, after training separately from his teammates this week.
* Pulisic, who has 83 international caps, was withdrawn at halftime in the opening World Cup game against Paraguay.
* Ricardo Pepi, who came off the bench in the Paraguay game, replaces Pulisic as the only change.
* Socceroos coach Tony Popovic makes two changes from the side which upset Turkey 2-0 in the first match, with goalscorers Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe on the bench.
* Australia’s 22-year-old goalkeeper Patrick Beach once again starts in place of Mat Ryan; defender Harry Souttar takes the captain’s armband.
Lineups:
United States: Matt Freese; Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman; Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi; Folarin Balogun
Australia: Patrick Beach; Jacob Italiano, Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar, Cameron Burgess, Jordan Bos; Mathew Leckie, Aiden O’Neill, Paul Okon-Engstler, Nishan Velupillay; Mohamed Toure
(Reporting by Sam Tobin, editing by Ed Osmond)
