Huge Scare for Home Fans at the FIFA World Cup: USA Star Subbed Off at Halftime

"I took a minor knock in the first half, so I hope it's nothing serious. We were just being a bit cautious. I believe I'll be perfectly fine in a few days," the AC Milan forward, one of the biggest stars of the American team, told reporters after the match.

In the first half, he registered an assist and, following a combination play with Weston McKennie, was also involved in Paraguay's own goal. Despite this, he did not return to the field after the break.

He later explained that he sustained a minor blow to the back of his leg. "It's in the left calf area. However, I've had similar issues in the past. I'm staying positive and don't think it's anything serious," he stated.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that the substitution was primarily a precautionary measure. "We didn't want to take any risks," explained the Argentine coach, whose team, after a winning start to the tournament, faces further group matches against Australia and Turkey. "It's a great start, but there's still a lot of work ahead of us," Pulisic added for AFP.