Live: US set to be without key star as Socceroos make two big changes

The Australian Socceroos are set to clash with co-host USA in Seattle, with their knockout-stage qualification hanging in the balance. A victory against the Americans will guarantee Australia's advancement from Group D in a match preceded by a tense and at times acrimonious build-up.

Australian coach Tony Popovic has opted for two changes in the starting lineup. Star striker Nestory Irankunda has been rotated to the bench, a somewhat surprising decision given his impact. Connor Metcalfe, who scored against Türkiye, will also start on the bench, making way for Mathew Leckie and Nishan Velupillay, who are brought into the starting XI.

The USA has received a major setback with the confirmation that Christian Pulisic will miss the match due to a calf injury. The AC Milan forward, who was instrumental in their previous win against Paraguay, has been training separately from the squad for the past four days. His absence is considered a significant blow, given his crucial role and impressive record for the USMNT.

Ricardo Pepi will step in to replace Pulisic, marking the only change to the USA side that dominated Paraguay. Pulisic's importance to the team is immense; he is tied with Clint Dempsey for the second-most goal contributions for the US in World Cup history since 1990, trailing only Landon Donovan. Teammates like Tim Weah and Brenden Aaronson have expressed their hope for his swift return, highlighting his skill and impact on the game.

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Christian, for me, is one of the top five wingers in the world. He's one of my favorite players to watch. Being able to play alongside him for a long time has been amazing. Just the little things that he does, he's such a humble player. I think you get caught up in a lot of the noise, but Christian is amazing. He showed it against Paraguay. His ability when he's able to be on the ball is amazing. It helps the team. I'm super proud of him. Hopefully he'll be ready for Friday.