Team USA star Auston Trusty was hurt in the closing minutes of Thursday’s match against Turkiye, going down hard with a lower-body injury as the American team suffered a heartbreaking loss.
Trusty was hurt during an American advance, with the score tied 2-2. He appeared to kick a defender while attempting a pass, going down to the ground in pain. Trusty was taken off the field on a stretcher, leaving some anxiety for an American team that had already looking forward to the Round of 32.
Auston Trusty Down With Ankle Injury
As reporter James Ducker noted, Trusty’s injury created some frightening moments for Team USA.
“Auston Trusty in visible pain down near left by-line. Now being taken off on a stretcher. Looks like an injury to his left ankle,” Ducker noted in a post on X.
Fellow reporter Larry Henry Jr. added that Trusty appeared to be ailing even before suffering the ankle injury.
“A major worry with Auston Trusty down holding the back of his leg in the final minutes of this one,” Henry shared in a post on X. “He’s had a good night on both ends of the field.”
Trusty was able to work with team trainers on the sideline after being taken off the field, working on the ankle. He did not return to the match, and Turkiye scored in the closing seconds of stoppage time to win 3-2.
It was a largely meaningless outcome, with Turkiye already eliminated and the American team already clinched the top spot in Group D and a trip to the Round of 32.
The injury came after a historic match for Trusty, who opened the scoring three minutes into the game with his first career World Cup goal.
Team USA Dealing With Injury Woes
The American team was already dealing with injuries heading into the match against Turkiye, with star forward Christian Pulisic starting the match on the bench. He suffered a calf injury and missed the team’s win over Australia, but returned in the second half against Turkiye.
As USA Today reporter Victoria Hernandez noted, Pulisic looked sharp after missing the last game-and-a-half of the World Cup.
“Pulisic came back with aggression and had several attempts at the goal within minutes of his return, but nothing landed,” Hernandez wrote. “He had one especially close shot where he kicked the ball from the penalty box, but it barely bounced wide left of the net.”
Pulisic had told reporters on Wednesday that he had been ramping up and felt ready to play.
“I’m feeling good. I joined the team the last couple days and yes, I’m hoping to play a part tomorrow for sure,” Pulisic said, via USA Today.
But Pulisic also warned that he would likely not play the entire match.
“There’s not a good chance I’ll go and play 90 right away,” he said.
It’s not clear whether Trusty could miss any time, but he will have close to a week to recover. Team USA is set to face Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California.
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