Christian Pulisic ‘doing everything’ he can to play against the Netherlands

AL RAYYAN, Qatar – Two days after suffering a “very painful” pelvic injury, U.S. soccer star Christian Pulisic on Thursday said he is aiming to return for the World Cup round-of-16 match Saturday against the Netherlands.

In his first comments since suffering what team officials described as a pelvic contusion while scoring the only goal against Iran, Pulisic described taking a knee to the groin area from Iran’s goalkeeper.

“My opportunity was there to beat the defender to the ball, and I was able to do that – and paid the price for it a bit,” he said in a news conference at the team’s training venue outside Doha. “You could see the video, (the contact) to a nice pelvis area. It was not nice, but obviously very painful. But feeling better, feeling better.”

Pulisic was planning to meet with the medical staff before deciding whether to practice with the team Thursday night. Initially open to reporters, the training session was later closed.

“Taking it day by day right now but doing everything in my power to be able to be out there on the field on Saturday,” Pulisic said.

He scored in the 38th minute, half-volleying Sergiño Dest’s headed cross from close range an instant before colliding with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand. The celebration was muted by concern for Pulisic, who lay flat inside the goal and twisted in distress.

Medical staff rushed to his side and treated him for several minutes.

Team spokesman Michael Kammarman said the diagnosis of a pelvic contusion was “not a euphemism.”

Pausing to describe the injury, Pulisic said, “I didn’t get like hit” in the testicles. “I’m all right. It was very painful. That (pelvic) bone is there for a reason, to protect you. I hit it well. It was sore, but I’m getting better.”

After being treated for several minutes, Pulisic re-entered the game but ran gingerly and was replaced at halftime. While the second half transpired, Pulisic was taken to a hospital for tests.

“It was a crazy kind of experience,” he said. “The emotions were running so high. I was doing everything I could to continue playing and it was all kind of a blur, to be honest.”

Pulisic said he was aware the ball had gone into the net, but because of the collision, his teammates were not celebrating as they normally would.

“I think they were just trying to keep their distance and make sure I was OK,” he said. “It didn’t really feel like a celebration, so I was worried if was offside – you never know nowadays – so I wasn’t sure what was going on.”

He watched the rest of the match from the hospital on athletic trainer Harris Patel’s phone.

At the hospital, “they were checking my blood sugar and everything, and it was flying through the roof, but it wasn’t because of anything,” Pulisic said. “It’s just me stressed watching the game. But once I got through that and the final whistle blew, I was obviously very happy.”

After the match, his teammates and the coaching staff communicated with him on a raucous video phone call. Pulisic was already back at the team hotel when the bus returned from the stadium, and he greeted the delegation in the lobby.

In his first World Cup after being part of the squad that missed the 2018 tournament, Pulisic started all three Group B matches and assisted on Tim Weah’s goal in the opener against Wales.