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Ollie Whitmore, Chief Football Correspondent

AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic has been confirmed unavailable for the United States’ second group stage fixture at the World Cup against Australia, according to The Athletic.

The 27-year-old forward was instrumental in the USA’s emphatic 4-1 triumph over Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium, providing one assist and creating four scoring opportunities before being substituted by head coach Mauricio Pochettino in the 46th minute.

The early substitution immediately raised questions about his fitness for the next match against the Socceroos. It has now been revealed that a recurring calf problem will sideline him for the clash and casts uncertainty over his continued participation in the tournament.

“Christian is not available. The evolution is really well,” Pochettino told Fox prior to the game.

He added, “Today, he trained in the morning at the camp and I’ve seen that his condition is improving. I hope he can be ready to return soon and rejoin the squad.”

Pochettino continued, “Now we need to focus on our team and the players who will take the field. We have a very important match ahead, and Australia will be a strong opponent. It’s a bit sad because he wanted to stay and be involved today.”

If the USMNT manage to overcome Australia, they will place themselves in an excellent position to advance to the round of 32 — achieving progression from the group stage for the third consecutive World Cup — and could even secure top spot in Group D.

However, if Pulisic’s injury forces him out of further matches, it would be a significant setback to their hopes of surpassing the round of 16 for the first time since 2002, when they reached the quarter-finals in Japan.

Pulisic now joins Neymar among the list of high-profile players currently injured. Neymar has yet to appear at this World Cup and has also been ruled out of Brazil’s second group stage fixture against Haiti, scheduled to kick off at 01:30 (BST).

The United States will face Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle, with the match set to begin at 20:00 (BST). Fans can follow live coverage on BBC One and the BBC Sport website.

Stay tuned to our website for in-depth reports, reactions, and ongoing analysis of the World Cup as events unfold.