SPORTS

Pulisic remains scoreless as USMNT lose key friendly

PUBLISHED Mar 31, 2026, 11:34 PM ET

Read, Watch or Listen

Media Bias Meter

Sources: 5

Left 20%

Center 80%

Sources: 5

ATLANTA — The United States lost 2-0 to Portugal on Tuesday as Mauricio Pochettino’s experimental lineup conceded goals to Francisco Trincão (37th) and João Félix (59th); Pochettino said small details cost the team while Christian Pulisic, moved to striker, remained scoreless. The result, following a prior 5-2 loss to Belgium this window, extended Pulisic’s international drought and intensified roster evaluation; Pochettino and staff said they will continue tactical testing and review player minutes and positional data ahead of final World Cup selections.

By Ayesha A. | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Oct 2024: Mauricio Pochettino took charge of the U.S. men’s national team.
Nov 18, 2024: Christian Pulisic scored for the U.S. against Jamaica (last international goal before drought).
Dec 28, 2025: Pulisic’s last recorded club goal for AC Milan.
Late March 2026: U.S. lost 5-2 to Belgium in an international friendly.
Immediately after: U.S. lost 2-0 to Portugal; Pulisic’s international drought reached eight games and continued roster evaluations.

News Intelligence

If you're a soccer fan, Pulisic's scoring drought is concerning. As the U.S. team's star player, his performance affects our World Cup chances. Keep an eye on his club games with AC Milan. A goal there could boost his confidence.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 5
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 4

Who Benefited

Coaching staff benefit from extended evaluation time to test formations and player roles before final World Cup roster decisions.

Who Impacted

Christian Pulisic and the USMNT suffered reputational and performance pressure as Pulisic’s goal drought continued through key pre-World Cup friendlies.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 5
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 4
Distribution:: Left 20%, Center 80%, Right 0%

Who Benefited

Coaching staff benefit from extended evaluation time to test formations and player roles before final World Cup roster decisions.

Who Impacted

Christian Pulisic and the USMNT suffered reputational and performance pressure as Pulisic’s goal drought continued through key pre-World Cup friendlies.