Mauricio Pochettino is considering freshening up the starting lineup for the next United States World Cup game, with top spot in Group D already secure.
After beating Australia 2-0 in Seattle before Paraguay edged Turkey 1-0 on Friday night, the US team locked up first place with a game to spare.
It means the USMNT boss has a big decision to make between trying to keep momentum going with another win when they face Turkey in Los Angeles next Thursday and resting certain players so they stay fresh for the knockout rounds.
Crucially, though, four players have been shown a yellow card in the first two USA games and if they receive another, they will be banned for the round of 32 knockout game on July 1 in San Francisco.
Those players are key midfielder Tyler Adams, star striker Folarin Balogun, left wing-back Antonee Robinson and central defender Chris Richards and according to Fox Sports on Saturday, sitting them out has already crossed Pochettino’s mind.
They are four vital players for how Pochettino wants to play and given that the game is ultimately a dead rubber – Turkey cannot qualify out of the group, either – the logical decision would be that they are substitutes.
Mauricio Pochettino could sit four players for USA vs Turkey in Los Angeles next Thursday
Tyler Adams is one of four players who will be banned for a game if they get booked in LA
FIFA rules state that any player who gets a second yellow in the final group game will be suspended for the round of 32. But after the group games are over, single bookings will be wiped away for the knockouts.
Pochettino will also be monitoring star man Christian Pulisic, who missed the Australia win with a calf issue that saw him taken off at halftime in the opening win against Paraguay.
‘C.P. is a fantastic player – the quality and the leadership that he gives us,’ Balogun said of his attacking teammate after the Australia win.
‘We didn’t have him today, but I think you saw we’re still capable to go out there and get a result and put up a performance.’
It is still to be determined who the United States will play on July 1 at Levi’s Stadium, an hour outside of the city of San Francisco but top spot means it will be a third-place qualifier from a rival group.
Should the US win that game, they will remain on the west coast for a round of 16 game back in Seattle on Monday, July 6.
