Pulisic ‘ready to battle’ Paraguay in US World Cup opener

LOS ANGELES: United States star Christian Pulisic said the World Cup co-hosts are “ready to battle” on football’s biggest stage as they prepare for a potentially bruising opener against Paraguay on Friday.

AC Milan forward Pulisic has been the US side’s talisman since his teenage years, shouldering massive expectations in a nation not traditionally known for its soccer prowess.

With hopes running higher still as the US hosts the World Cup for the first time since 1994, alongside Mexico and Canada, 27-year-old Pulisic remains unarguably the biggest name but said the squad around him is now “able to compete with anyone.”

“We want to be a real force in this tournament,” he told AFP.

“We got three really good games to show everyone what we’re all about,” he added.

The first of those comes against South American opposition in Paraguay.

Kicking off at 6.00pm local time in Los Angeles (0100 GMT Saturday), the first US-based game of this World Cup will be preceded by a Hollywood-style opening ceremony.

Paraguay are the lowest-ranked team in Group D, which also contains Australia and Turkey, but have as much World Cup pedigree as any of their rivals.

The South Americans reached the quarter-finals in 2010 — their last appearance on soccer’s grandest stage — and beat both Argentina and Brazil during qualifying.

US coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final and also managed Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, is trying to make his talented team more streetwise.

Pulisic said the Argentine manager has helped the locker room prepare for South American opposition in a match on Friday that may be scrappy, physical, and not always be easy on the eye.

“We know we have to be ready to battle. It’s not about just playing beautiful football — we have to do the the little things and compete,” said Pulisic.

The US are expected to line up with Monaco striker Folarin Balogun between Pulisic and PSV Eindhoven’s Sergino Dest.

The likely midfield trio is Juventus star Weston McKennie, Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Malik Tillman and Bournemouth anchor Tyler Adams.

Pulisic had been suffering a five-month goal drought, but was on superb form in a 3-2 friendly win over Senegal last month, with a goal and an assist.

But he emphasized the credentials of the team around him.

“There’s so many good players around me. I genuinely don’t feel like I have to do anything on my own,” Pulisic told reporters.

Paraguay’s best players include former Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron, and diminutive young ball-running midfielder Julio Enciso, who joined French club Strasbourg from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer.

Experienced defenders Omar Alderete and Gustavo Gomez are the squad’s leaders, while Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro — who took Ecuador to the last World Cup — has preached a simple, direct style, with plenty of aerial attacks.

“Paraguay is a great team and really good test,” Pulisic told AFP.

“We know from the inside what we’re capable of, and now it’s about showing it.”