Christian Pulisic came off at halftime and Sebastian Berhalter took his place as the United States led Paraguay 3-1 in a World Cup match on Saturday night. The change came after Pulisic had already helped put the USMNT in front in the opening 10 minutes, and it immediately shifted the shape of the game.
Pulisic had an assist and an unofficial assist after creating the own goal that opened the scoring, a first half that looked worthy of man of the match honors before he was withdrawn. Fox Sports sideline reporter Jenny Taft said he told friends and family in the stands that he was “okay,” easing some immediate concern about why he did not return after halftime.
The U.S. had given itself a strong platform before the break, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice and Pulisic driving the attack from the left. Gio Reyna also entered for Malik Tillman and made his first appearance at the 2026 World Cup, while the USA’s back line and midfield continued to push Paraguay deep for long stretches.
That advantage mattered because Paraguay had arrived with a reputation for being hard to break down. The team had conceded just 10 goals in 18 qualifying matches and had beaten both Brazil and Argentina, which made the Americans’ early 3-0 burst even more striking. The U.S. had already edged Paraguay 2-1 in a friendly on November 15, but this match carried more weight because it was the start of the Americans’ run at the 2026 World Cup.
The break in Pulisic’s night was not the only forced change. Balogun later went down with an injury and was replaced by Ricardo Pepi, while Timothy Weah came on for Sergino Dest. Paraguay then pulled one back after halftime when Mauricio finished into the bottom right corner, but the U.S. still carried the better scoreline and the sharper start.
What remains unanswered is why Pulisic was removed despite being the best player on the field in the first half. For now, the only clear update is that he was said to be okay, and the Americans will be watching closely to see whether that is enough to keep him available for what comes next.
