Christian Pulisic & Ricardo Pepi confirmed as USMNT starters against Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

Christian Pulisic & Ricardo Pepi confirmed as USMNT starters against Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

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90min

·26 September 2022

Christian Pulisic & Ricardo Pepi confirmed as USMNT starters against Saudi Arabia

Article image:Christian Pulisic & Ricardo Pepi confirmed as USMNT starters against Saudi Arabia

Christian Pulisic and Ricardo Pepi will start for the United States Men's National Team in their friendly against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Gregg Berhalter has confirmed.

The USMNT are in Murcia, Spain, for their final pre-World Cup match after losing 2-0 to Japan in Dusseldorf on Friday.


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Pulisic was due to feature in that match but pulled out at the last moment after picking up a knock. However, his withdrawal from the squad was just a precaution and the Chelsea forward has been involved in training since arriving in Spain.

Pepi, meanwhile, was an unused substitute against Japan and hasn't featured for the USMNT since March, but has earned one final chance to impress Berhalter after notching a goal and an assist across his first two appearances for FC Groningen - who he joined on loan from Augsburg this summer.

Speaking at a press conference following Monday's training session (via the official USMNT Twitter page), Berhalter confirmed both Pulisic and Pepi would line up from the start against Saudi Arabia.

Alongside that attacking duo, the likes of Joe Scally, Erik Palmer-Brown, Kellyn Acosta, and Paul Arriola will all be looking to see the field on Tuesday after riding the bench against Japan.

The USMNT's next match following this friendly is their World Cup Group B opener against Wales on November 21.

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